130th Ohio General Assembly
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(127th General Assembly)
(Substitute House Bill Number 190)



AN ACT
To amend sections 109.57, 121.40, 3301.0710, 3301.0711, 3314.03, 3314.19, 3319.089, 3319.291, 3319.31, 3319.39, 3321.01, 3326.11, 3326.23, and 3327.10 and to enact section 3319.391 of the Revised Code and to amend Section 8 of Am. Sub. S.B. 311 of the 126th General Assembly to specify administration dates for the elementary achievement tests, to allow public schools to charge tuition for all-day kindergarten, to require the Department of Education to conduct a survey of the fees charged by school districts, to revise the requirements regarding criminal records checks of school employees, to require the Educator Standards Board to recommend a code of conduct for educators, to require the Department of Education to recommend penalties for failure to report educator misconduct, to permit the State Board of Education to revoke an expired license, to permit waivers from the minimum number of school days in the 2006-2007 school year for certain joint vocational school districts that experienced delays in a state-assisted construction project, to extend the deadline for the commission studying student success with the Ohio Core curriculum to issue its recommendations, to alter the membership of the Ohio Community Service Council, and to declare an emergency.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That sections 109.57, 121.40, 3301.0710, 3301.0711, 3314.03, 3314.19, 3319.089, 3319.291, 3319.31, 3319.39, 3321.01, 3326.11, 3326.23, and 3327.10 be amended and section 3319.391 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 109.57.  (A)(1) The superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation shall procure from wherever procurable and file for record photographs, pictures, descriptions, fingerprints, measurements, and other information that may be pertinent of all persons who have been convicted of committing within this state a felony, any crime constituting a misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses, or any misdemeanor described in division (A)(1)(a) or (A)(10)(a) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code, of all children under eighteen years of age who have been adjudicated delinquent children for committing within this state an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult or who have been convicted of or pleaded guilty to committing within this state a felony or an offense of violence, and of all well-known and habitual criminals. The person in charge of any county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse, community-based correctional facility, halfway house, alternative residential facility, or state correctional institution and the person in charge of any state institution having custody of a person suspected of having committed a felony, any crime constituting a misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses, or any misdemeanor described in division (A)(1)(a) or (A)(10)(a) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code or having custody of a child under eighteen years of age with respect to whom there is probable cause to believe that the child may have committed an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult shall furnish such material to the superintendent of the bureau. Fingerprints, photographs, or other descriptive information of a child who is under eighteen years of age, has not been arrested or otherwise taken into custody for committing an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult, has not been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult, has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to committing a felony or an offense of violence, and is not a child with respect to whom there is probable cause to believe that the child may have committed an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult shall not be procured by the superintendent or furnished by any person in charge of any county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse, community-based correctional facility, halfway house, alternative residential facility, or state correctional institution, except as authorized in section 2151.313 of the Revised Code.

(2) Every clerk of a court of record in this state, other than the supreme court or a court of appeals, shall send to the superintendent of the bureau a weekly report containing a summary of each case involving a felony, involving any crime constituting a misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses, involving a misdemeanor described in division (A)(1)(a) or (A)(10)(a) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code, or involving an adjudication in a case in which a child under eighteen years of age was alleged to be a delinquent child for committing an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult. The clerk of the court of common pleas shall include in the report and summary the clerk sends under this division all information described in divisions (A)(2)(a) to (f) of this section regarding a case before the court of appeals that is served by that clerk. The summary shall be written on the standard forms furnished by the superintendent pursuant to division (B) of this section and shall include the following information:

(a) The incident tracking number contained on the standard forms furnished by the superintendent pursuant to division (B) of this section;

(b) The style and number of the case;

(c) The date of arrest;

(d) The date that the person was convicted of or pleaded guilty to the offense, adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult, found not guilty of the offense, or found not to be a delinquent child for committing an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult, the date of an entry dismissing the charge, an entry declaring a mistrial of the offense in which the person is discharged, an entry finding that the person or child is not competent to stand trial, or an entry of a nolle prosequi, or the date of any other determination that constitutes final resolution of the case;

(e) A statement of the original charge with the section of the Revised Code that was alleged to be violated;

(f) If the person or child was convicted, pleaded guilty, or was adjudicated a delinquent child, the sentence or terms of probation imposed or any other disposition of the offender or the delinquent child.

If the offense involved the disarming of a law enforcement officer or an attempt to disarm a law enforcement officer, the clerk shall clearly state that fact in the summary, and the superintendent shall ensure that a clear statement of that fact is placed in the bureau's records.

(3) The superintendent shall cooperate with and assist sheriffs, chiefs of police, and other law enforcement officers in the establishment of a complete system of criminal identification and in obtaining fingerprints and other means of identification of all persons arrested on a charge of a felony, any crime constituting a misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses, or a misdemeanor described in division (A)(1)(a) or (A)(10)(a) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code and of all children under eighteen years of age arrested or otherwise taken into custody for committing an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult. The superintendent also shall file for record the fingerprint impressions of all persons confined in a county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse, community-based correctional facility, halfway house, alternative residential facility, or state correctional institution for the violation of state laws and of all children under eighteen years of age who are confined in a county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse, community-based correctional facility, halfway house, alternative residential facility, or state correctional institution or in any facility for delinquent children for committing an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult, and any other information that the superintendent may receive from law enforcement officials of the state and its political subdivisions.

(4) The superintendent shall carry out Chapter 2950. of the Revised Code with respect to the registration of persons who are convicted of or plead guilty to a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense and with respect to all other duties imposed on the bureau under that chapter.

(5) The bureau shall perform centralized recordkeeping functions for criminal history records and services in this state for purposes of the national crime prevention and privacy compact set forth in section 109.571 of the Revised Code and is the criminal history record repository as defined in that section for purposes of that compact. The superintendent or the superintendent's designee is the compact officer for purposes of that compact and shall carry out the responsibilities of the compact officer specified in that compact.

(B) The superintendent shall prepare and furnish to every county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal jail or workhouse, community-based correctional facility, halfway house, alternative residential facility, or state correctional institution and to every clerk of a court in this state specified in division (A)(2) of this section standard forms for reporting the information required under division (A) of this section. The standard forms that the superintendent prepares pursuant to this division may be in a tangible format, in an electronic format, or in both tangible formats and electronic formats.

(C)(1) The superintendent may operate a center for electronic, automated, or other data processing for the storage and retrieval of information, data, and statistics pertaining to criminals and to children under eighteen years of age who are adjudicated delinquent children for committing an act that would be a felony or an offense of violence if committed by an adult, criminal activity, crime prevention, law enforcement, and criminal justice, and may establish and operate a statewide communications network to gather and disseminate information, data, and statistics for the use of law enforcement agencies and for other uses specified in this division. The superintendent may gather, store, retrieve, and disseminate information, data, and statistics that pertain to children who are under eighteen years of age and that are gathered pursuant to sections 109.57 to 109.61 of the Revised Code together with information, data, and statistics that pertain to adults and that are gathered pursuant to those sections.

(2) The superintendent or the superintendent's designee shall gather information of the nature described in division (C)(1) of this section that pertains to the offense and delinquency history of a person who has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense for inclusion in the state registry of sex offenders and child-victim offenders maintained pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 2950.13 of the Revised Code and in the internet database operated pursuant to division (A)(13) of that section and for possible inclusion in the internet database operated pursuant to division (A)(11) of that section.

(3) In addition to any other authorized use of information, data, and statistics of the nature described in division (C)(1) of this section, the superintendent or the superintendent's designee may provide and exchange the information, data, and statistics pursuant to the national crime prevention and privacy compact as described in division (A)(5) of this section.

(D) The information and materials furnished to the superintendent pursuant to division (A) of this section and information and materials furnished to any board or person under division (F) or (G) of this section are not public records under section 149.43 of the Revised Code. The superintendent or the superintendent's designee shall gather and retain information so furnished under division (A) of this section that pertains to the offense and delinquency history of a person who has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or been adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense for the purposes described in division (C)(2) of this section.

(E) The attorney general shall adopt rules, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, setting forth the procedure by which a person may receive or release information gathered by the superintendent pursuant to division (A) of this section. A reasonable fee may be charged for this service. If a temporary employment service submits a request for a determination of whether a person the service plans to refer to an employment position has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an offense listed in division (A)(1), (3), (4), (5), or (6) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code, the request shall be treated as a single request and only one fee shall be charged.

(F)(1) As used in division (F)(2) of this section, "head start agency" means an entity in this state that has been approved to be an agency for purposes of subchapter II of the "Community Economic Development Act," 95 Stat. 489 (1981), 42 U.S.C.A. 9831, as amended.

(2)(a) In addition to or in conjunction with any request that is required to be made under section 109.572, 2151.86, 3301.32, 3301.541, 3319.39, 3319.391, 3327.10, 3701.881, 5104.012, 5104.013, 5123.081, 5126.28, 5126.281, or 5153.111 of the Revised Code, the board of education of any school district; the director of mental retardation and developmental disabilities; any county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities; any entity under contract with a county board of mental retardation and developmental disabilities; the chief administrator of any chartered nonpublic school; the chief administrator of any home health agency; the chief administrator of or person operating any child day-care center, type A family day-care home, or type B family day-care home licensed or certified under Chapter 5104. of the Revised Code; the administrator of any type C family day-care home certified pursuant to Section 1 of Sub. H.B. 62 of the 121st general assembly or Section 5 of Am. Sub. S.B. 160 of the 121st general assembly; the chief administrator of any head start agency; or the executive director of a public children services agency; or an employer described in division (A)(2) of section 3319.391 or division (J)(2) of section 3327.10 of the Revised Code may request that the superintendent of the bureau investigate and determine, with respect to any individual who has applied for employment in any position after October 2, 1989, or any individual wishing to apply for employment with a board of education may request, with regard to the individual, whether the bureau has any information gathered under division (A) of this section that pertains to that individual. On receipt of the request, the superintendent shall determine whether that information exists and, upon request of the person, board, or entity requesting information, also shall request from the federal bureau of investigation any criminal records it has pertaining to that individual. The superintendent or the superintendent's designee also may request criminal history records from other states or the federal government pursuant to the national crime prevention and privacy compact set forth in section 109.571 of the Revised Code. Within thirty days of the date that the superintendent receives a request, the superintendent shall send to the board, entity, or person a report of any information that the superintendent determines exists, including information contained in records that have been sealed under section 2953.32 of the Revised Code, and, within thirty days of its receipt, shall send the board, entity, or person a report of any information received from the federal bureau of investigation, other than information the dissemination of which is prohibited by federal law.

(b) When a board of education is required to receive information under this section as a prerequisite to employment of an individual pursuant to section 3319.39 of the Revised Code, it may accept a certified copy of records that were issued by the bureau of criminal identification and investigation and that are presented by an individual applying for employment with the district in lieu of requesting that information itself. In such a case, the board shall accept the certified copy issued by the bureau in order to make a photocopy of it for that individual's employment application documents and shall return the certified copy to the individual. In a case of that nature, a district only shall accept a certified copy of records of that nature within one year after the date of their issuance by the bureau.

(3) The state board of education may request, with respect to any individual who has applied for employment after October 2, 1989, in any position with the state board or the department of education, any information that a school district board of education is authorized to request under division (F)(2) of this section, and the superintendent of the bureau shall proceed as if the request has been received from a school district board of education under division (F)(2) of this section.

(4) When the superintendent of the bureau receives a request for information under section 3319.291 of the Revised Code, the superintendent shall proceed as if the request has been received from a school district board of education under division (F)(2) of this section.

(5) When a recipient of a classroom reading improvement grant paid under section 3301.86 of the Revised Code requests, with respect to any individual who applies to participate in providing any program or service funded in whole or in part by the grant, the information that a school district board of education is authorized to request under division (F)(2)(a) of this section, the superintendent of the bureau shall proceed as if the request has been received from a school district board of education under division (F)(2)(a) of this section.

(G) In addition to or in conjunction with any request that is required to be made under section 3701.881, 3712.09, 3721.121, or 3722.151 of the Revised Code with respect to an individual who has applied for employment in a position that involves providing direct care to an older adult, the chief administrator of a home health agency, hospice care program, home licensed under Chapter 3721. of the Revised Code, adult day-care program operated pursuant to rules adopted under section 3721.04 of the Revised Code, or adult care facility may request that the superintendent of the bureau investigate and determine, with respect to any individual who has applied after January 27, 1997, for employment in a position that does not involve providing direct care to an older adult, whether the bureau has any information gathered under division (A) of this section that pertains to that individual.

In addition to or in conjunction with any request that is required to be made under section 173.27 of the Revised Code with respect to an individual who has applied for employment in a position that involves providing ombudsperson services to residents of long-term care facilities or recipients of community-based long-term care services, the state long-term care ombudsperson, ombudsperson's designee, or director of health may request that the superintendent investigate and determine, with respect to any individual who has applied for employment in a position that does not involve providing such ombudsperson services, whether the bureau has any information gathered under division (A) of this section that pertains to that applicant.

In addition to or in conjunction with any request that is required to be made under section 173.394 of the Revised Code with respect to an individual who has applied for employment in a position that involves providing direct care to an individual, the chief administrator of a community-based long-term care agency may request that the superintendent investigate and determine, with respect to any individual who has applied for employment in a position that does not involve providing direct care, whether the bureau has any information gathered under division (A) of this section that pertains to that applicant.

On receipt of a request under this division, the superintendent shall determine whether that information exists and, on request of the individual requesting information, shall also request from the federal bureau of investigation any criminal records it has pertaining to the applicant. The superintendent or the superintendent's designee also may request criminal history records from other states or the federal government pursuant to the national crime prevention and privacy compact set forth in section 109.571 of the Revised Code. Within thirty days of the date a request is received, the superintendent shall send to the requester a report of any information determined to exist, including information contained in records that have been sealed under section 2953.32 of the Revised Code, and, within thirty days of its receipt, shall send the requester a report of any information received from the federal bureau of investigation, other than information the dissemination of which is prohibited by federal law.

(H) Information obtained by a government entity or person under this section is confidential and shall not be released or disseminated.

(I) The superintendent may charge a reasonable fee for providing information or criminal records under division (F)(2) or (G) of this section.

(J) As used in this section, "sexually oriented offense" and "child-victim oriented offense" have the same meanings as in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 121.40.  (A) There is hereby created the Ohio community service council consisting of twenty-one members including the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee, the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents or the chancellor's designee, the director of natural resources or the director's designee, the director of youth services or the director's designee, the director of aging or the director's designee, the director of job and family services or the director's designee, the chairperson of the committee of the house of representatives dealing with education or the chairperson's designee, the chairperson of the committee of the senate dealing with education or the chairperson's designee, and thirteen fifteen members who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate and who shall serve terms of office of three years. The appointees shall include educators, including teachers and administrators; representatives of youth organizations; students and parents; representatives of organizations engaged in volunteer program development and management throughout the state, including youth and conservation programs; and representatives of business, government, nonprofit organizations, social service agencies, veterans organizations, religious organizations, or philanthropies that support or encourage volunteerism within the state. Members of the council shall receive no compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

(B) The council shall appoint an executive director for the council, who shall be in the unclassified civil service. The executive director shall supervise the council's activities and report to the council on the progress of those activities. The executive director shall do all things necessary for the efficient and effective implementation of the duties of the council.

The responsibilities assigned to the executive director do not relieve the members of the council from final responsibility for the proper performance of the requirements of this section.

(C) The council or its designee shall do all of the following:

(1) Employ, promote, supervise, and remove all employees as needed in connection with the performance of its duties under this section and may assign duties to those employees as necessary to achieve the most efficient performance of its functions, and to that end may establish, change, or abolish positions, and assign and reassign duties and responsibilities of any employee of the council. Personnel employed by the council who are subject to Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code shall retain all of their rights and benefits conferred pursuant to that chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as eliminating or interfering with Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code or the rights and benefits conferred under that chapter to public employees or to any bargaining unit.

(2) Maintain its office in Columbus, and may hold sessions at any place within the state;

(3) Acquire facilities, equipment, and supplies necessary to house the council, its employees, and files and records under its control, and to discharge any duty imposed upon it by law. The expense of these acquisitions shall be audited and paid for in the same manner as other state expenses. For that purpose, the council shall prepare and submit to the office of budget and management a budget for each biennium according to sections 101.532 and 107.03 of the Revised Code. The budget submitted shall cover the costs of the council and its staff in the discharge of any duty imposed upon the council by law. The council shall not delegate any authority to obligate funds.

(4) Pay its own payroll and other operating expenses from line items designated by the general assembly;

(5) Retain its fiduciary responsibility as appointing authority. Any transaction instructions shall be certified by the appointing authority or its designee.

(6) Establish the overall policy and management of the council in accordance with this chapter;

(7) Assist in coordinating and preparing the state application for funds under sections 101 to 184 of the "National and Community Service Act of 1990," 104 Stat. 3127 (1990), 42 U.S.C.A. 12411 to 12544, as amended, assist in administering and overseeing the "National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993," P.L. 103-82, 107 Stat. 785, and the americorps program in this state, and assist in developing objectives for a comprehensive strategy to encourage and expand community service programs throughout the state;

(8) Assist the state board of education, school districts, the chancellor of the board of regents, and institutions of higher education in coordinating community service education programs through cooperative efforts between institutions and organizations in the public and private sectors;

(9) Assist the departments of natural resources, youth services, aging, and job and family services in coordinating community service programs through cooperative efforts between institutions and organizations in the public and private sectors;

(10) Suggest individuals and organizations that are available to assist school districts, institutions of higher education, and the departments of natural resources, youth services, aging, and job and family services in the establishment of community service programs and assist in investigating sources of funding for implementing these programs;

(11) Assist in evaluating the state's efforts in providing community service programs using standards and methods that are consistent with any statewide objectives for these programs and provide information to the state board of education, school districts, the chancellor of the board of regents, institutions of higher education, and the departments of natural resources, youth services, aging, and job and family services to guide them in making decisions about these programs;

(12) Assist the state board of education in complying with section 3301.70 of the Revised Code and the chancellor of the board of regents in complying with division (B)(2) of section 3333.043 of the Revised Code;

(13) Advise, assist, consult with, and cooperate with, by contract or otherwise, agencies and political subdivisions of this state in establishing a statewide system for volunteers pursuant to section 121.404 of the Revised Code.

(D) The department of aging shall serve as the council's fiscal agent. Beginning on July 1, 1997, whenever reference is made in any law, contract, or document to the functions of the department of youth services as fiscal agent to the council, the reference shall be deemed to refer to the department of aging. The department of aging shall have no responsibility for or obligation to the council prior to July 1, 1997. Any validation, cure, right, privilege, remedy, obligation, or liability shall be retained by the council.

As used in this section, "fiscal agent" means technical support and includes the following technical support services:

(1) Preparing and processing payroll and other personnel documents that the council executes as the appointing authority. The department of aging shall not approve any payroll or other personnel-related documents.

(2) Maintaining ledgers of accounts and reports of account balances, and monitoring budgets and allotment plans in consultation with the council. The department shall not approve any biennial budget, grant, expenditure, audit, or fiscal-related document.

(3) Performing other routine support services that the director of aging or the director's designee and the council or its designee consider appropriate to achieve efficiency.

(E)(1) The council or its designee has the following authority and responsibility relative to fiscal matters:

(a) Sole authority to draw funds for any and all federal programs in which the council is authorized to participate;

(b) Sole authority to expend funds from their accounts for programs and any other necessary expenses the council may incur and its subgrantees may incur;

(c) Responsibility to cooperate with and inform the department of aging as fiscal agent to ensure that the department is fully apprised of all financial transactions.

(2) The council shall follow all state procurement requirements.

(3) The department of aging shall determine fees to be charged to the council, which shall be in proportion to the services performed for the council.

(4) The council shall pay fees owed to the department of aging from a general revenue fund of the council or from any other fund from which the operating expenses of the council are paid. Any amounts set aside for a fiscal year for the payment of these fees shall be used only for the services performed for the council by the department of aging in that fiscal year.

(F) The council may accept and administer grants from any source, public or private, to carry out any of the council's functions this section establishes.

Sec. 3301.0710.  The state board of education shall adopt rules establishing a statewide program to test student achievement. The state board shall ensure that all tests administered under the testing program are aligned with the academic standards and model curricula adopted by the state board and are created with input from Ohio parents, Ohio classroom teachers, Ohio school administrators, and other Ohio school personnel pursuant to section 3301.079 of the Revised Code.

The testing program shall be designed to ensure that students who receive a high school diploma demonstrate at least high school levels of achievement in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.

(A)(1) The state board shall prescribe all of the following:

(a) Two statewide achievement tests, one each designed to measure the level of reading and mathematics skill expected at the end of third grade;

(b) Three statewide achievement tests, one each designed to measure the level of reading, writing, and mathematics skill expected at the end of fourth grade;

(c) Four statewide achievement tests, one each designed to measure the level of reading, mathematics, science, and social studies skill expected at the end of fifth grade;

(d) Two statewide achievement tests, one each designed to measure the level of reading and mathematics skill expected at the end of sixth grade;

(e) Three statewide achievement tests, one each designed to measure the level of reading, writing, and mathematics skill expected at the end of seventh grade;

(f) Four statewide achievement tests, one each designed to measure the level of reading, mathematics, science, and social studies skill expected at the end of eighth grade.

(2) The state board shall determine and designate at least five ranges of scores on each of the achievement tests described in divisions (A)(1) and (B) of this section. Each range of scores shall be deemed to demonstrate a level of achievement so that any student attaining a score within such range has achieved one of the following:

(a) An advanced level of skill;

(b) An accelerated level of skill;

(c) A proficient level of skill;

(d) A basic level of skill;

(e) A limited level of skill.

(B) The tests prescribed under this division shall collectively be known as the Ohio graduation tests. The state board shall prescribe five statewide high school achievement tests, one each designed to measure the level of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies skill expected at the end of tenth grade. The state board shall designate a score in at least the range designated under division (A)(2)(c) of this section on each such test that shall be deemed to be a passing score on the test as a condition toward granting high school diplomas under sections 3313.61, 3313.611, 3313.612, and 3325.08 of the Revised Code.

The state board may enter into a reciprocal agreement with the appropriate body or agency of any other state that has similar statewide achievement testing requirements for receiving high school diplomas, under which any student who has met an achievement testing requirement of one state is recognized as having met the similar achievement testing requirement of the other state for purposes of receiving a high school diploma. For purposes of this section and sections 3301.0711 and 3313.61 of the Revised Code, any student enrolled in any public high school in this state who has met an achievement testing requirement specified in a reciprocal agreement entered into under this division shall be deemed to have attained at least the applicable score designated under this division on each test required by this division that is specified in the agreement.

(C) Except as provided in division (H) of this section, the state board shall annually designate as follows the dates on which the tests prescribed under this section shall be administered:

(1) For the reading test prescribed under division (A)(1)(a) of this section, as follows:

(a) One date prior to the thirty-first day of December each school year;

(b) At least one date of each school year that is not earlier than Monday of the week containing the first twenty-fourth day of May April.

(2) For the mathematics test prescribed under division (A)(1)(a) of this section and the tests prescribed under divisions (A)(1)(b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this section, at least one date of each school year that is not earlier than Monday of the week containing the first twenty-fourth day of May April;

(3) For the tests prescribed under division (B) of this section, at least one date in each school year that is not earlier than Monday of the week containing the fifteenth day of March for all tenth grade students and at least one date prior to the thirty-first day of December and at least one date subsequent to that date but prior to the thirty-first day of March of each school year for eleventh and twelfth grade students.

(D) In prescribing test dates pursuant to division (C)(3) of this section, the state board shall, to the greatest extent practicable, provide options to school districts in the case of tests administered under that division to eleventh and twelfth grade students and in the case of tests administered to students pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 3301.0711 of the Revised Code. Such options shall include at least an opportunity for school districts to give such tests outside of regular school hours.

(E) In prescribing test dates pursuant to this section, the state board of education shall designate the dates in such a way as to allow a reasonable length of time between the administration of tests prescribed under this section and any administration of the National Assessment of Education Progress Test given to students in the same grade level pursuant to section 3301.27 of the Revised Code or federal law.

(F) The state board shall prescribe a practice version of each Ohio graduation test described in division (B) of this section that is of comparable length to the actual test.

(G) Any committee established by the department of education for the purpose of making recommendations to the state board regarding the state board's designation of scores on the tests described by this section shall inform the state board of the probable percentage of students who would score in each of the ranges established under division (A)(2) of this section on the tests if the committee's recommendations are adopted by the state board. To the extent possible, these percentages shall be disaggregated by gender, major racial and ethnic groups, limited English proficient students, economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and migrant students.

If the state board intends to make any change to the committee's recommendations, the state board shall explain the intended change to the Ohio accountability task force established by section 3302.021 of the Revised Code. The task force shall recommend whether the state board should proceed to adopt the intended change. Nothing in this division shall require the state board to designate test scores based upon the recommendations of the task force.

(H)(1) The state board shall require any alternate assessment administered to a student under division (C)(1) of section 3301.0711 of the Revised Code to be completed and submitted to the entity with which the department contracts for the scoring of the test not later than the first day of April of the school year in which the test is administered.

(2) For any test prescribed by this section, the state board may designate a date one week earlier than the applicable date designated under division (C) of this section for the administration of the test to limited English proficient students.

(3) In designating days for the administration of the tests prescribed by division (A) of this section, the state board shall require the tests for each grade level to be administered on consecutive days over a period of two weeks.

Sec. 3301.0711.  (A) The department of education shall:

(1) Annually furnish to, grade, and score all tests required by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code to be administered by city, local, exempted village, and joint vocational school districts, except that each district shall score any test administered pursuant to division (B)(10) of this section. Each test so furnished shall include the data verification code of the student to whom the test will be administered, as assigned pursuant to division (D)(2) of section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code. In furnishing the practice versions of Ohio graduation tests prescribed by division (F) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code, the department shall make the tests available on its web site for reproduction by districts. In awarding contracts for grading tests, the department shall give preference to Ohio-based entities employing Ohio residents.

(2) Adopt rules for the ethical use of tests and prescribing the manner in which the tests prescribed by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code shall be administered to students.

(B) Except as provided in divisions (C) and (J) of this section, the board of education of each city, local, and exempted village school district shall, in accordance with rules adopted under division (A) of this section:

(1) Administer the reading test prescribed under division (A)(1)(a) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code twice annually to all students in the third grade who have not attained the score designated for that test under division (A)(2)(c) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code.

(2) Administer the mathematics test prescribed under division (A)(1)(a) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code at least once annually to all students in the third grade.

(3) Administer the tests prescribed under division (A)(1)(b) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code at least once annually to all students in the fourth grade.

(4) Administer the tests prescribed under division (A)(1)(c) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code at least once annually to all students in the fifth grade.

(5) Administer the tests prescribed under division (A)(1)(d) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code at least once annually to all students in the sixth grade.

(6) Administer the tests prescribed under division (A)(1)(e) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code at least once annually to all students in the seventh grade.

(7) Administer the tests prescribed under division (A)(1)(f) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code at least once annually to all students in the eighth grade.

(8) Except as provided in division (B)(9) of this section, administer any test prescribed under division (B) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code as follows:

(a) At least once annually to all tenth grade students and at least twice annually to all students in eleventh or twelfth grade who have not yet attained the score on that test designated under that division;

(b) To any person who has successfully completed the curriculum in any high school or the individualized education program developed for the person by any high school pursuant to section 3323.08 of the Revised Code but has not received a high school diploma and who requests to take such test, at any time such test is administered in the district.

(9) In lieu of the board of education of any city, local, or exempted village school district in which the student is also enrolled, the board of a joint vocational school district shall administer any test prescribed under division (B) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code at least twice annually to any student enrolled in the joint vocational school district who has not yet attained the score on that test designated under that division. A board of a joint vocational school district may also administer such a test to any student described in division (B)(8)(b) of this section.

(10) If the district has been declared to be under an academic watch or in a state of academic emergency pursuant to section 3302.03 of the Revised Code or has a three-year average graduation rate of not more than seventy-five per cent, administer each test prescribed by division (F) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code in September to all ninth grade students, beginning in the school year that starts July 1, 2005.

(C)(1)(a) Any student receiving special education services under Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code may be excused from taking any particular test required to be administered under this section if the individualized education program developed for the student pursuant to section 3323.08 of the Revised Code excuses the student from taking that test and instead specifies an alternate assessment method approved by the department of education as conforming to requirements of federal law for receipt of federal funds for disadvantaged pupils. To the extent possible, the individualized education program shall not excuse the student from taking a test unless no reasonable accommodation can be made to enable the student to take the test.

(b) Any alternate assessment approved by the department for a student under this division shall produce measurable results comparable to those produced by the tests which the alternate assessments are replacing in order to allow for the student's assessment results to be included in the data compiled for a school district or building under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code.

(c) Any student enrolled in a chartered nonpublic school who has been identified, based on an evaluation conducted in accordance with section 3323.03 of the Revised Code or section 504 of the "Rehabilitation Act of 1973," 87 Stat. 355, 29 U.S.C.A. 794, as amended, as a child with a disability shall be excused from taking any particular test required to be administered under this section if a plan developed for the student pursuant to rules adopted by the state board excuses the student from taking that test. In the case of any student so excused from taking a test, the chartered nonpublic school shall not prohibit the student from taking the test.

(2) A district board may, for medical reasons or other good cause, excuse a student from taking a test administered under this section on the date scheduled, but any such test shall be administered to such excused student not later than nine days following the scheduled date. The board shall annually report the number of students who have not taken one or more of the tests required by this section to the state board of education not later than the thirtieth day of June.

(3) As used in this division, "limited English proficient student" has the same meaning as in 20 U.S.C. 7801.

No school district board shall excuse any limited English proficient student from taking any particular test required to be administered under this section, except that any limited English proficient student who has been enrolled in United States schools for less than one full school year shall not be required to take any such reading or writing test. However, no board shall prohibit a limited English proficient student who is not required to take a test under this division from taking the test. A board may permit any limited English proficient student to take any test required to be administered under this section with appropriate accommodations, as determined by the department. For each limited English proficient student, each school district shall annually assess that student's progress in learning English, in accordance with procedures approved by the department.

The governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school may excuse a limited English proficient student from taking any test administered under this section. However, no governing authority shall prohibit a limited English proficient student from taking the test.

(D)(1) In the school year next succeeding the school year in which the tests prescribed by division (A)(1) or (B) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code or former division (A)(1), (A)(2), or (B) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to September 11, 2001, are administered to any student, the board of education of any school district in which the student is enrolled in that year shall provide to the student intervention services commensurate with the student's test performance, including any intensive intervention required under section 3313.608 of the Revised Code, in any skill in which the student failed to demonstrate at least a score at the proficient level on the test.

(2) Following any administration of the tests prescribed by division (F) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code to ninth grade students, each school district that has a three-year average graduation rate of not more than seventy-five per cent shall determine for each high school in the district whether the school shall be required to provide intervention services to any students who took the tests. In determining which high schools shall provide intervention services based on the resources available, the district shall consider each school's graduation rate and scores on the practice tests. The district also shall consider the scores received by ninth grade students on the reading and mathematics tests prescribed under division (A)(1)(f) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code in the eighth grade in determining which high schools shall provide intervention services.

Each high school selected to provide intervention services under this division shall provide intervention services to any student whose test results indicate that the student is failing to make satisfactory progress toward being able to attain scores at the proficient level on the Ohio graduation tests. Intervention services shall be provided in any skill in which a student demonstrates unsatisfactory progress and shall be commensurate with the student's test performance. Schools shall provide the intervention services prior to the end of the school year, during the summer following the ninth grade, in the next succeeding school year, or at any combination of those times.

(E) Except as provided in section 3313.608 of the Revised Code and division (M) of this section, no school district board of education shall utilize any student's failure to attain a specified score on any test administered under this section as a factor in any decision to deny the student promotion to a higher grade level. However, a district board may choose not to promote to the next grade level any student who does not take any test administered under this section or make up such test as provided by division (C)(2) of this section and who is not exempt from the requirement to take the test under division (C)(3) of this section.

(F) No person shall be charged a fee for taking any test administered under this section.

(G)(1) Each school district board shall designate one location for the collection of tests administered in the spring under division (B)(1) of this section and the tests administered under divisions (B)(2) to (7) of this section. Each district board shall submit the tests to the entity with which the department contracts for the scoring of the tests as follows:

(a) If the district's total enrollment in grades kindergarten through twelve during the first full school week of October was less than two thousand five hundred, not later than the Friday after all of the tests are have been administered;

(b) If the district's total enrollment in grades kindergarten through twelve during the first full school week of October was two thousand five hundred or more, but less than seven thousand, not later than the Monday after all of the tests are have been administered;

(c) If the district's total enrollment in grades kindergarten through twelve during the first full school week of October was seven thousand or more, not later than the Tuesday after all of the tests are have been administered.

However, any such test that a student takes during the make-up period described in division (C)(2) of this section shall be submitted not later than the Friday following the day the student takes the test.

(2) The department or an entity with which the department contracts for the scoring of the test shall send to each school district board a list of the individual test scores of all persons taking any test prescribed by division (A)(1) or (B) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code within sixty days after its administration, but in no case shall the scores be returned later than the fifteenth day of June following the administration. For any tests administered under this section by a joint vocational school district, the department or entity shall also send to each city, local, or exempted village school district a list of the individual test scores of any students of such city, local, or exempted village school district who are attending school in the joint vocational school district.

(H) Individual test scores on any tests administered under this section shall be released by a district board only in accordance with section 3319.321 of the Revised Code and the rules adopted under division (A) of this section. No district board or its employees shall utilize individual or aggregate test results in any manner that conflicts with rules for the ethical use of tests adopted pursuant to division (A) of this section.

(I) Except as provided in division (G) of this section, the department or an entity with which the department contracts for the scoring of the test shall not release any individual test scores on any test administered under this section. The state board of education shall adopt rules to ensure the protection of student confidentiality at all times. The rules may require the use of the data verification codes assigned to students pursuant to division (D)(2) of section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code to protect the confidentiality of student test scores.

(J) Notwithstanding division (D) of section 3311.52 of the Revised Code, this section does not apply to the board of education of any cooperative education school district except as provided under rules adopted pursuant to this division.

(1) In accordance with rules that the state board of education shall adopt, the board of education of any city, exempted village, or local school district with territory in a cooperative education school district established pursuant to divisions (A) to (C) of section 3311.52 of the Revised Code may enter into an agreement with the board of education of the cooperative education school district for administering any test prescribed under this section to students of the city, exempted village, or local school district who are attending school in the cooperative education school district.

(2) In accordance with rules that the state board of education shall adopt, the board of education of any city, exempted village, or local school district with territory in a cooperative education school district established pursuant to section 3311.521 of the Revised Code shall enter into an agreement with the cooperative district that provides for the administration of any test prescribed under this section to both of the following:

(a) Students who are attending school in the cooperative district and who, if the cooperative district were not established, would be entitled to attend school in the city, local, or exempted village school district pursuant to section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code;

(b) Persons described in division (B)(8)(b) of this section.

Any testing of students pursuant to such an agreement shall be in lieu of any testing of such students or persons pursuant to this section.

(K)(1) Any chartered nonpublic school may participate in the testing program by administering any of the tests prescribed by section 3301.0710 or 3301.0712 of the Revised Code if the chief administrator of the school specifies which tests the school wishes to administer. Such specification shall be made in writing to the superintendent of public instruction prior to the first day of August of any school year in which tests are administered and shall include a pledge that the nonpublic school will administer the specified tests in the same manner as public schools are required to do under this section and rules adopted by the department.

(2) The department of education shall furnish the tests prescribed by section 3301.0710 or 3301.0712 of the Revised Code to any chartered nonpublic school electing to participate under this division.

(L)(1) The superintendent of the state school for the blind and the superintendent of the state school for the deaf shall administer the tests described by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code. Each superintendent shall administer the tests in the same manner as district boards are required to do under this section and rules adopted by the department of education and in conformity with division (C)(1)(a) of this section.

(2) The department of education shall furnish the tests described by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code to each superintendent.

(M) Notwithstanding division (E) of this section, a school district may use a student's failure to attain a score in at least the basic range on the mathematics test described by division (A)(1)(a) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code or on any of the tests described by division (A)(1)(b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code as a factor in retaining that student in the current grade level.

(N)(1) In the manner specified in divisions (N)(3) to (5) of this section, the tests required by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code shall become public records pursuant to section 149.43 of the Revised Code on the first day of July following the school year that the test was administered.

(2) The department may field test proposed test questions with samples of students to determine the validity, reliability, or appropriateness of test questions for possible inclusion in a future year's test. The department also may use anchor questions on tests to ensure that different versions of the same test are of comparable difficulty.

Field test questions and anchor questions shall not be considered in computing test scores for individual students. Field test questions and anchor questions may be included as part of the administration of any test required by section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code.

(3) Any field test question or anchor question administered under division (N)(2) of this section shall not be a public record. Such field test questions and anchor questions shall be redacted from any tests which are released as a public record pursuant to division (N)(1) of this section.

(4) This division applies to the tests prescribed by division (A) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code.

(a) The first administration of each test, as specified in section 3301.0712 of the Revised Code, shall be a public record.

(b) For subsequent administrations of each test, not less than forty per cent of the questions on the test that are used to compute a student's score shall be a public record. The department shall determine which questions will be needed for reuse on a future test and those questions shall not be public records and shall be redacted from the test prior to its release as a public record. However, for each redacted question, the department shall inform each city, local, and exempted village school district of the statewide academic standard adopted by the state board of education under section 3301.079 of the Revised Code and the corresponding benchmark to which the question relates. The preceding sentence does not apply to field test questions that are redacted under division (N)(3) of this section.

(5) Each test prescribed by division (B) of section 3301.0710 of the Revised Code that is administered in the spring shall be a public record. Each test prescribed by that division that is administered in the fall or summer shall not be a public record.

(O) As used in this section:

(1) "Three-year average" means the average of the most recent consecutive three school years of data.

(2) "Dropout" means a student who withdraws from school before completing course requirements for graduation and who is not enrolled in an education program approved by the state board of education or an education program outside the state. "Dropout" does not include a student who has departed the country.

(3) "Graduation rate" means the ratio of students receiving a diploma to the number of students who entered ninth grade four years earlier. Students who transfer into the district are added to the calculation. Students who transfer out of the district for reasons other than dropout are subtracted from the calculation. If a student who was a dropout in any previous year returns to the same school district, that student shall be entered into the calculation as if the student had entered ninth grade four years before the graduation year of the graduating class that the student joins.

Sec. 3314.03.  A copy of every contract entered into under this section shall be filed with the superintendent of public instruction.

(A) Each contract entered into between a sponsor and the governing authority of a community school shall specify the following:

(1) That the school shall be established as either of the following:

(a) A nonprofit corporation established under Chapter 1702. of the Revised Code, if established prior to April 8, 2003;

(b) A public benefit corporation established under Chapter 1702. of the Revised Code, if established after April 8, 2003;

(2) The education program of the school, including the school's mission, the characteristics of the students the school is expected to attract, the ages and grades of students, and the focus of the curriculum;

(3) The academic goals to be achieved and the method of measurement that will be used to determine progress toward those goals, which shall include the statewide achievement tests;

(4) Performance standards by which the success of the school will be evaluated by the sponsor;

(5) The admission standards of section 3314.06 of the Revised Code and, if applicable, section 3314.061 of the Revised Code;

(6)(a) Dismissal procedures;

(b) A requirement that the governing authority adopt an attendance policy that includes a procedure for automatically withdrawing a student from the school if the student without a legitimate excuse fails to participate in one hundred five consecutive hours of the learning opportunities offered to the student.

(7) The ways by which the school will achieve racial and ethnic balance reflective of the community it serves;

(8) Requirements for financial audits by the auditor of state. The contract shall require financial records of the school to be maintained in the same manner as are financial records of school districts, pursuant to rules of the auditor of state, and the audits shall be conducted in accordance with section 117.10 of the Revised Code.

(9) The facilities to be used and their locations;

(10) Qualifications of teachers, including a requirement that the school's classroom teachers be licensed in accordance with sections 3319.22 to 3319.31 of the Revised Code, except that a community school may engage noncertificated persons to teach up to twelve hours per week pursuant to section 3319.301 of the Revised Code;

(11) That the school will comply with the following requirements:

(a) The school will provide learning opportunities to a minimum of twenty-five students for a minimum of nine hundred twenty hours per school year;

(b) The governing authority will purchase liability insurance, or otherwise provide for the potential liability of the school;

(c) The school will be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and will not be operated by a sectarian school or religious institution;

(d) The school will comply with sections 9.90, 9.91, 109.65, 121.22, 149.43, 2151.357, 2151.421, 2313.18, 3301.0710, 3301.0711, 3301.0712, 3301.0715, 3313.472, 3313.50, 3313.536, 3313.608, 3313.6012, 3313.6013, 3313.6014, 3313.643, 3313.648, 3313.66, 3313.661, 3313.662, 3313.666, 3313.667, 3313.67, 3313.671, 3313.672, 3313.673, 3313.69, 3313.71, 3313.716, 3313.718, 3313.80, 3313.96, 3319.073, 3319.313, 3319.314, 3319.315, 3319.321, 3319.39, 3319.391, 3321.01, 3321.13, 3321.14, 3321.17, 3321.18, 3321.19, 3321.191, 3327.10, 4111.17, 4113.52, and 5705.391 and Chapters 117., 1347., 2744., 3365., 3742., 4112., 4123., 4141., and 4167. of the Revised Code as if it were a school district and will comply with section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code in the manner specified in section 3314.17 of the Revised Code;

(e) The school shall comply with Chapter 102. and section 2921.42 of the Revised Code;

(f) The school will comply with sections 3313.61, 3313.611, and 3313.614 of the Revised Code, except that for students who enter ninth grade for the first time before July 1, 2010, the requirement in sections 3313.61 and 3313.611 of the Revised Code that a person must successfully complete the curriculum in any high school prior to receiving a high school diploma may be met by completing the curriculum adopted by the governing authority of the community school rather than the curriculum specified in Title XXXIII of the Revised Code or any rules of the state board of education. Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2010, the requirement in sections 3313.61 and 3313.611 of the Revised Code that a person must successfully complete the curriculum of a high school prior to receiving a high school diploma shall be met by completing the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division (C) of section 3313.603 of the Revised Code, unless the person qualifies under division (D) or (F) of that section. Each school shall comply with the plan for awarding high school credit based on demonstration of subject area competency, adopted by the state board of education under division (J) of section 3313.603 of the Revised Code.

(g) The school governing authority will submit within four months after the end of each school year a report of its activities and progress in meeting the goals and standards of divisions (A)(3) and (4) of this section and its financial status to the sponsor and the parents of all students enrolled in the school.

(h) The school, unless it is an internet- or computer-based community school, will comply with section 3313.801 of the Revised Code as if it were a school district.

(12) Arrangements for providing health and other benefits to employees;

(13) The length of the contract, which shall begin at the beginning of an academic year. No contract shall exceed five years unless such contract has been renewed pursuant to division (E) of this section.

(14) The governing authority of the school, which shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of the contract;

(15) A financial plan detailing an estimated school budget for each year of the period of the contract and specifying the total estimated per pupil expenditure amount for each such year. The plan shall specify for each year the base formula amount that will be used for purposes of funding calculations under section 3314.08 of the Revised Code. This base formula amount for any year shall not exceed the formula amount defined under section 3317.02 of the Revised Code. The plan may also specify for any year a percentage figure to be used for reducing the per pupil amount of the subsidy calculated pursuant to section 3317.029 of the Revised Code the school is to receive that year under section 3314.08 of the Revised Code.

(16) Requirements and procedures regarding the disposition of employees of the school in the event the contract is terminated or not renewed pursuant to section 3314.07 of the Revised Code;

(17) Whether the school is to be created by converting all or part of an existing public school or is to be a new start-up school, and if it is a converted public school, specification of any duties or responsibilities of an employer that the board of education that operated the school before conversion is delegating to the governing board of the community school with respect to all or any specified group of employees provided the delegation is not prohibited by a collective bargaining agreement applicable to such employees;

(18) Provisions establishing procedures for resolving disputes or differences of opinion between the sponsor and the governing authority of the community school;

(19) A provision requiring the governing authority to adopt a policy regarding the admission of students who reside outside the district in which the school is located. That policy shall comply with the admissions procedures specified in sections 3314.06 and 3314.061 of the Revised Code and, at the sole discretion of the authority, shall do one of the following:

(a) Prohibit the enrollment of students who reside outside the district in which the school is located;

(b) Permit the enrollment of students who reside in districts adjacent to the district in which the school is located;

(c) Permit the enrollment of students who reside in any other district in the state.

(20) A provision recognizing the authority of the department of education to take over the sponsorship of the school in accordance with the provisions of division (C) of section 3314.015 of the Revised Code;

(21) A provision recognizing the sponsor's authority to assume the operation of a school under the conditions specified in division (B) of section 3314.073 of the Revised Code;

(22) A provision recognizing both of the following:

(a) The authority of public health and safety officials to inspect the facilities of the school and to order the facilities closed if those officials find that the facilities are not in compliance with health and safety laws and regulations;

(b) The authority of the department of education as the community school oversight body to suspend the operation of the school under section 3314.072 of the Revised Code if the department has evidence of conditions or violations of law at the school that pose an imminent danger to the health and safety of the school's students and employees and the sponsor refuses to take such action;

(23) A description of the learning opportunities that will be offered to students including both classroom-based and non-classroom-based learning opportunities that is in compliance with criteria for student participation established by the department under division (L)(2) of section 3314.08 of the Revised Code;

(24) The school will comply with section 3302.04 of the Revised Code, including division (E) of that section to the extent possible, except that any action required to be taken by a school district pursuant to that section shall be taken by the sponsor of the school. However, the sponsor shall not be required to take any action described in division (F) of that section.

(25) Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, the school will open for operation not later than the thirtieth day of September each school year, unless the mission of the school as specified under division (A)(2) of this section is solely to serve dropouts. In its initial year of operation, if the school fails to open by the thirtieth day of September, or within one year after the adoption of the contract pursuant to division (D) of section 3314.02 of the Revised Code if the mission of the school is solely to serve dropouts, the contract shall be void.

(B) The community school shall also submit to the sponsor a comprehensive plan for the school. The plan shall specify the following:

(1) The process by which the governing authority of the school will be selected in the future;

(2) The management and administration of the school;

(3) If the community school is a currently existing public school, alternative arrangements for current public school students who choose not to attend the school and teachers who choose not to teach in the school after conversion;

(4) The instructional program and educational philosophy of the school;

(5) Internal financial controls.

(C) A contract entered into under section 3314.02 of the Revised Code between a sponsor and the governing authority of a community school may provide for the community school governing authority to make payments to the sponsor, which is hereby authorized to receive such payments as set forth in the contract between the governing authority and the sponsor. The total amount of such payments for oversight and monitoring of the school shall not exceed three per cent of the total amount of payments for operating expenses that the school receives from the state.

(D) The contract shall specify the duties of the sponsor which shall be in accordance with the written agreement entered into with the department of education under division (B) of section 3314.015 of the Revised Code and shall include the following:

(1) Monitor the community school's compliance with all laws applicable to the school and with the terms of the contract;

(2) Monitor and evaluate the academic and fiscal performance and the organization and operation of the community school on at least an annual basis;

(3) Report on an annual basis the results of the evaluation conducted under division (D)(2) of this section to the department of education and to the parents of students enrolled in the community school;

(4) Provide technical assistance to the community school in complying with laws applicable to the school and terms of the contract;

(5) Take steps to intervene in the school's operation to correct problems in the school's overall performance, declare the school to be on probationary status pursuant to section 3314.073 of the Revised Code, suspend the operation of the school pursuant to section 3314.072 of the Revised Code, or terminate the contract of the school pursuant to section 3314.07 of the Revised Code as determined necessary by the sponsor;

(6) Have in place a plan of action to be undertaken in the event the community school experiences financial difficulties or closes prior to the end of a school year.

(E) Upon the expiration of a contract entered into under this section, the sponsor of a community school may, with the approval of the governing authority of the school, renew that contract for a period of time determined by the sponsor, but not ending earlier than the end of any school year, if the sponsor finds that the school's compliance with applicable laws and terms of the contract and the school's progress in meeting the academic goals prescribed in the contract have been satisfactory. Any contract that is renewed under this division remains subject to the provisions of sections 3314.07, 3314.072, and 3314.073 of the Revised Code.

(F) If a community school fails to open for operation within one year after the contract entered into under this section is adopted pursuant to division (D) of section 3314.02 of the Revised Code or permanently closes prior to the expiration of the contract, the contract shall be void and the school shall not enter into a contract with any other sponsor. A school shall not be considered permanently closed because the operations of the school have been suspended pursuant to section 3314.072 of the Revised Code. Any contract that becomes void under this division shall not count toward any statewide limit on the number of such contracts prescribed by section 3314.013 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3314.19.  The sponsor of each community school annually shall provide the following assurances in writing to the department of education not later than ten business days prior to the opening of the school:

(A) That a current copy of the contract between the sponsor and the governing authority of the school entered into under section 3314.03 of the Revised Code has been filed with the state office of community schools established under section 3314.11 of the Revised Code and that any subsequent modifications to that contract will be filed with the office;

(B) That the school has submitted to the sponsor a plan for providing special education and related services to students with disabilities and has demonstrated the capacity to provide those services in accordance with Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code and federal law;

(C) That the school has a plan and procedures for administering the achievement tests and diagnostic assessments prescribed by sections 3301.0710 and 3301.0715 of the Revised Code;

(D) That school personnel have the necessary training, knowledge, and resources to properly use and submit information to all databases maintained by the department for the collection of education data, including the education management information system established under section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code in accordance with methods and timelines established under section 3314.17 of the Revised Code;

(E) That all required information about the school has been submitted to the Ohio education directory system or any successor system;

(F) That the school will enroll at least the minimum number of students required by division (A)(11)(a) of section 3314.03 of the Revised Code in the school year for which the assurances are provided;

(G) That all classroom teachers are licensed in accordance with sections 3319.22 to 3319.31 of the Revised Code, except for noncertificated persons engaged to teach up to twelve hours per week pursuant to section 3319.301 of the Revised Code;

(H) That the school's fiscal officer is in compliance with section 3314.011 of the Revised Code;

(I) That the school has complied with section 3319.39 of the Revised Code with respect to all employees who are responsible for the care, custody, or control of a child and that the school has conducted a criminal records check of each of its governing authority members;

(J) That the school holds all of the following:

(1) Proof of property ownership or a lease for the facilities used by the school;

(2) A certificate of occupancy;

(3) Liability insurance for the school, as required by division (A)(11)(b) of section 3314.03 of the Revised Code, that the sponsor considers sufficient to indemnify the school's facilities, staff, and governing authority against risk;

(4) A satisfactory health and safety inspection;

(5) A satisfactory fire inspection;

(6) A valid food permit, if applicable.

(K) That the sponsor has conducted a pre-opening site visit to the school for the school year for which the assurances are provided;

(L) That the school has designated a date it will open for the school year for which the assurances are provided that is in compliance with division (A)(25) of section 3314.03 of the Revised Code;

(M) That the school has met all of the sponsor's requirements for opening and any other requirements of the sponsor.

Sec. 3319.089.  The board of education of any city, local, or exempted village school district may adopt a resolution approving a contract with a county department of job and family services under section 5107.541 of the Revised Code to provide for a participant of the work experience program who has a child enrolled in a public school in that district to fulfill the work requirements of the work experience program by volunteering or working in that public school in accordance with section 5107.541 of the Revised Code. Such recipients are not employees of such board of education.

Before a school district places a participant in a public school under this section, the appointing officer or hiring officer of the board of education of a school district shall request a criminal records check of the participant to be conducted in the same manner as required for a person responsible for the care, custody, or control of a child in accordance with under section 3319.39 of the Revised Code,. The records check shall be conducted even though the participant, if subsequently hired, would not be considered an employee of the school district for purposes of working at the school. A participant shall not be placed in a school if the participant previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the offenses listed in division (B)(1)(a) or (b) of section 3319.39 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3319.291.  (A) The state board of education shall require each of the following persons, at the times prescribed by division (A) of this section, to submit two complete sets of fingerprints and written permission that authorizes the superintendent of public instruction to forward the fingerprints to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation pursuant to division (F) of section 109.57 of the Revised Code and that authorizes that bureau to forward the fingerprints to the federal bureau of investigation for purposes of obtaining any criminal records that the federal bureau maintains on the person:

(1) Any person initially applying for any certificate, license, or permit described in this chapter or in division (B) of section 3301.071 or in section 3301.074 of the Revised Code at the time that application is made;

(2) Any person applying for renewal of any certificate, license, or permit described in division (A)(1) of this section at the time that application is made;

(3) Any person who is teaching under a professional teaching certificate issued under former section 3319.22 or under section 3319.222 of the Revised Code upon a date prescribed by the state board that is not later than five years after the date that the certificate was issued or renewed;

(4) Any person who is teaching under a permanent teaching certificate issued under former section 3319.22 or under section 3319.222 of the Revised Code upon a date prescribed by the state board and every five years thereafter.

(B) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, prior to issuing or renewing any certificate, license, or permit described in division (A)(1) or (2) of this section and in the case of a person required to submit fingerprints and written permission under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section, the state board or the superintendent of public instruction shall request the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation to investigate and determine whether the bureau has any information, gathered pursuant to division (A) of section 109.57 of the Revised Code, pertaining to any person submitting fingerprints and written permission under this section. If the person does not present proof that the person has been a resident of this state for the five-year period immediately prior to the date upon which the investigation described in this division is requested, or does not provide evidence that within that five-year period the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation has requested information about the person from the federal bureau of investigation, the state board or the superintendent of public instruction shall request the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation to obtain any criminal records that the federal bureau of investigation has on the person. If the person presents proof that the person has been a resident of this state for that five-year period, the state board or the superintendent of public instruction may request the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation and to obtain any criminal records that the federal bureau of investigation has on the person.

(C) The state board or the superintendent of public instruction may choose not to request any information required by division (B) of this section if the person applying for the issuance or renewal of a certificate, license, or permit described in division (A)(1) or (2) of this section or the person required to submit fingerprints and written permission under division (A)(3) or (4) of this section provides proof that a criminal records check was conducted on the person as a condition of employment pursuant to section 3319.39 of the Revised Code within the immediately preceding year. The state board or the superintendent of public instruction may accept a certified copy of records that were issued by the bureau of criminal identification and investigation and that are presented by a person applying for the issuance or renewal of a certificate, license, or permit described in this section in lieu of requesting that information under division (B) of this section if the records were issued by the bureau within the immediately preceding year.

Sec. 3319.31.  (A) As used in this section and sections 3123.41 to 3123.50 and 3319.311 of the Revised Code, "license" means a certificate, license, or permit described in this chapter or in division (B) of section 3301.071 or in section 3301.074 of the Revised Code.

(B) For any of the following reasons, the state board of education, in accordance with Chapter 119. and section 3319.311 of the Revised Code, may refuse to issue a license to an applicant, ; may limit a license it issues to an applicant, or; may suspend, revoke, or limit a license that has been issued to any person; or may revoke a license that has been issued to any person and has expired:

(1) Engaging in an immoral act, incompetence, negligence, or conduct that is unbecoming to the applicant's or person's position;

(2) A plea of guilty to, a finding of guilt by a jury or court of, or a conviction of any of the following:

(a) A felony;

(b) A violation of section 2907.04 or 2907.06 or division (A) or (B) of section 2907.07 of the Revised Code;

(c) An offense of violence;

(d) A theft offense, as defined in section 2913.01 of the Revised Code;

(e) A drug abuse offense, as defined in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code, that is not a minor misdemeanor;

(f) A violation of an ordinance of a municipal corporation that is substantively comparable to an offense listed in divisions (B)(2)(a) to (e) of this section.

(C) The state board may take action under division (B) of this section on the basis of substantially comparable conduct occurring in a jurisdiction outside this state or occurring before a person applies for or receives any license.

(D) The state board may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to carry out this section and section 3319.311 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3319.39.  (A)(1) Except as provided in division (F)(2)(b) of section 109.57 of the Revised Code, the appointing or hiring officer of the board of education of a school district, the governing board of an educational service center, or of a chartered nonpublic school shall request the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation to conduct a criminal records check with respect to any applicant who has applied to the school district, educational service center, or school for employment in any position as a person responsible for the care, custody, or control of a child. Except as provided in division (A)(1) of this section, if the applicant does not present proof that the applicant has been a resident of this state for the five-year period immediately prior to the date upon which the criminal records check is requested or does not provide evidence that within that five-year period the superintendent has requested information about the applicant from the federal bureau of investigation in a criminal records check, the appointing or hiring officer shall request that the superintendent obtain information from the federal bureau of investigation as a part of the criminal records check for the applicant. Except as provided in division (A)(1) of this section, if the applicant presents proof that the applicant has been a resident of this state for that five-year period, the appointing or hiring officer may request that the superintendent include information from the federal bureau of investigation in the criminal records check. In the case of an applicant who is applying to be employed as driver of a school bus or motor van, the. The appointing or hiring officer shall request that the superintendent include information from the federal bureau of investigation in the criminal records check.

(2) A person required by division (A)(1) of this section to request a criminal records check shall provide to each applicant a copy of the form prescribed pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code, provide to each applicant a standard impression sheet to obtain fingerprint impressions prescribed pursuant to division (C)(2) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code, obtain the completed form and impression sheet from each applicant, and forward the completed form and impression sheet to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation at the time the person requests a criminal records check pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section.

(3) An applicant who receives pursuant to division (A)(2) of this section a copy of the form prescribed pursuant to division (C)(1) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code and a copy of an impression sheet prescribed pursuant to division (C)(2) of that section and who is requested to complete the form and provide a set of fingerprint impressions shall complete the form or provide all the information necessary to complete the form and shall provide the impression sheet with the impressions of the applicant's fingerprints. If an applicant, upon request, fails to provide the information necessary to complete the form or fails to provide impressions of the applicant's fingerprints, the board of education of a school district, governing board of an educational service center, or governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school shall not employ that applicant for any position for which a criminal records check is required pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section.

(B)(1) Except as provided in rules adopted by the department of education in accordance with division (E) of this section and as provided in division (B)(3) of this section, no board of education of a school district, no governing board of an educational service center, and no governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school shall employ a person as a person responsible for the care, custody, or control of a child if the person previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the following:

(a) A violation of section 2903.01, 2903.02, 2903.03, 2903.04, 2903.11, 2903.12, 2903.13, 2903.16, 2903.21, 2903.34, 2905.01, 2905.02, 2905.05, 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04, 2907.05, 2907.06, 2907.07, 2907.08, 2907.09, 2907.21, 2907.22, 2907.23, 2907.25, 2907.31, 2907.32, 2907.321, 2907.322, 2907.323, 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, 2919.12, 2919.22, 2919.24, 2919.25, 2923.12, 2923.13, 2923.161, 2925.02, 2925.03, 2925.04, 2925.05, 2925.06, or 3716.11 of the Revised Code, a violation of section 2905.04 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to July 1, 1996, a violation of section 2919.23 of the Revised Code that would have been a violation of section 2905.04 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to July 1, 1996, had the violation been committed prior to that date, a violation of section 2925.11 of the Revised Code that is not a minor drug possession offense, or felonious sexual penetration in violation of former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code;

(b) A violation of an existing or former law of this state, another state, or the United States that is substantially equivalent to any of the offenses or violations described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section.

(2) A board, governing board of an educational service center, or a governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school may employ an applicant conditionally until the criminal records check required by this section is completed and the board or governing authority receives the results of the criminal records check. If the results of the criminal records check indicate that, pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section, the applicant does not qualify for employment, the board or governing authority shall release the applicant from employment.

(3) No board and no governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school shall employ a teacher who previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any of the offenses listed in section 3319.31 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) Each board and each governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school shall pay to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation the fee prescribed pursuant to division (C)(3) of section 109.572 of the Revised Code for each criminal records check conducted in accordance with that section upon the request pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section of the appointing or hiring officer of the board or governing authority.

(2) A board and the governing authority of a chartered nonpublic school may charge an applicant a fee for the costs it incurs in obtaining a criminal records check under this section. A fee charged under this division shall not exceed the amount of fees the board or governing authority pays under division (C)(1) of this section. If a fee is charged under this division, the board or governing authority shall notify the applicant at the time of the applicant's initial application for employment of the amount of the fee and that, unless the fee is paid, the board or governing authority will not consider the applicant for employment.

(D) The report of any criminal records check conducted by the bureau of criminal identification and investigation in accordance with section 109.572 of the Revised Code and pursuant to a request under division (A)(1) of this section is not a public record for the purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code and shall not be made available to any person other than the applicant who is the subject of the criminal records check or the applicant's representative, the board or governing authority requesting the criminal records check or its representative, and any court, hearing officer, or other necessary individual involved in a case dealing with the denial of employment to the applicant.

(E) The department of education shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this section, including rules specifying circumstances under which the board or governing authority may hire a person who has been convicted of an offense listed in division (B)(1) or (3) of this section but who meets standards in regard to rehabilitation set by the department.

(F) Any person required by division (A)(1) of this section to request a criminal records check shall inform each person, at the time of the person's initial application for employment, of the requirement to provide a set of fingerprint impressions and that a criminal records check is required to be conducted and satisfactorily completed in accordance with section 109.572 of the Revised Code if the person comes under final consideration for appointment or employment as a precondition to employment for the school district, educational service center, or school for that position.

(G) As used in this section:

(1) "Applicant" means a person who is under final consideration for appointment or employment in a position with a board of education, governing board of an educational service center, or a chartered nonpublic school as a person responsible for the care, custody, or control of a child, except that "applicant" does not include a person already employed by a board or chartered nonpublic school in a position of care, custody, or control of a child who is under consideration for a different position with such board or school.

(2) "Teacher" means a person holding an educator license or permit issued under section 3319.22 or 3319.301 of the Revised Code and teachers in a chartered nonpublic school.

(3) "Criminal records check" has the same meaning as in section 109.572 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Minor drug possession offense" has the same meaning as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code.

(H) If the board of education of a local school district adopts a resolution requesting the assistance of the educational service center in which the local district has territory in conducting criminal records checks of substitute teachers under this section, the appointing or hiring officer of such educational service center shall serve for purposes of this section as the appointing or hiring officer of the local board in the case of hiring substitute teachers for employment in the local district.

Sec. 3319.391. (A)(1) This division applies to any person hired by a school district, educational service center, or chartered nonpublic school in any position that does not require a "license" issued by the state board of education, as defined in section 3319.31 of the Revised Code, and is not for the operation of a vehicle for pupil transportation.

For each person to whom this division applies who is hired on or after the effective date of this section, the employer shall request a criminal records check in accordance with section 3319.39 of the Revised Code and every five years thereafter. For each person to whom this division applies who is hired prior to that date, the employer shall request a criminal records check by a date prescribed by the department of education and every five years thereafter.

(2) This division applies to any person hired to work in a school district, educational service center, or chartered nonpublic school, in any position that does not require a "license" issued by the state board of education, as defined in section 3319.31 of the Revised Code, and is not for the operation of a vehicle for pupil transportation, and who is employed by a private company under contract with the district, service center, or chartered nonpublic school to provide services.

For each person to whom this division applies who is hired on or after the effective date of this section, the employer shall request a criminal records check prior to the person's hiring and every five years thereafter. For each person to whom this division applies who is hired prior to that date, the employer shall request a criminal records check by a date prescribed by the department and every five years thereafter.

(B) Each request for a criminal records check under this section shall be made to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation in the manner prescribed in section 3319.39 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of a request, the bureau shall conduct the criminal records check in accordance with section 109.572 of the Revised Code as if the request had been made under section 3319.39 of the Revised Code.

(C) Any person who is the subject of a criminal records check under this section and has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense described in division (B)(1) of section 3319.39 of the Revised Code shall not be hired or shall be released from employment, as applicable, unless the person meets the rehabilitation standards adopted by the department under division (E) of that section.

Sec. 3321.01. (A)(1) As used in this chapter, "parent," "guardian," or "other person having charge or care of a child" means either parent unless the parents are separated or divorced or their marriage has been dissolved or annulled, in which case "parent" means the parent who is the residential parent and legal custodian of the child. If the child is in the legal or permanent custody of a person or government agency, "parent" means that person or government agency. When a child is a resident of a home, as defined in section 3313.64 of the Revised Code, and the child's parent is not a resident of this state, "parent," "guardian," or "other person having charge or care of a child" means the head of the home.

A child between six and eighteen years of age is "of compulsory school age" for the purpose of sections 3321.01 to 3321.13 of the Revised Code. A child under six years of age who has been enrolled in kindergarten also shall be considered "of compulsory school age" for the purpose of sections 3321.01 to 3321.13 of the Revised Code unless at any time the child's parent or guardian, at the parent's or guardian's discretion and in consultation with the child's teacher and principal, formally withdraws the child from kindergarten. The compulsory school age of a child shall not commence until the beginning of the term of such schools, or other time in the school year fixed by the rules of the board of the district in which the child resides.

(2) No child shall be admitted to a kindergarten or a first grade of a public school in a district in which all children are admitted to kindergarten and the first grade in August or September unless the child is five or six years of age, respectively, by the thirtieth day of September of the year of admittance, or by the first day of a term or semester other than one beginning in August or September in school districts granting admittance at the beginning of such term or semester, except that in those school districts using or obtaining educationally accepted standardized testing programs for determining entrance, as approved by the board of education of such districts, the board shall admit a child to kindergarten or the first grade who fails to meet the age requirement, provided the child meets necessary standards as determined by such standardized testing programs. If the board of education has not established a standardized testing program, the board shall designate the necessary standards and a testing program it will accept for the purpose of admitting a child to kindergarten or first grade who fails to meet the age requirement. Each child who will be the proper age for entrance to kindergarten or first grade by the first day of January of the school year for which admission is requested shall be so tested upon the request of the child's parent.

(3) Notwithstanding divisions (A)(2) and (D) of this section, beginning with the school year that starts in 2001 and continuing thereafter the board of education of any district may adopt a resolution establishing the first day of August in lieu of the thirtieth day of September as the required date by which students must have attained the age specified in those divisions.

(B) As used in divisions (C) and (D) of this section, "successfully completed kindergarten" and "successful completion of kindergarten" mean that the child has completed the kindergarten requirements at one of the following:

(1) A public or chartered nonpublic school;

(2) A kindergarten class that is both of the following:

(a) Offered by a day-care provider licensed under Chapter 5104. of the Revised Code;

(b) If offered after July 1, 1991, is directly taught by a teacher who holds one of the following:

(i) A valid educator license issued under section 3319.22 of the Revised Code;

(ii) A Montessori preprimary credential or age-appropriate diploma granted by the American Montessori society or the association Montessori internationale;

(iii) Certification determined under division (G) of this section to be equivalent to that described in division (B)(2)(b)(ii) of this section;

(iv) Certification for teachers in nontax-supported schools pursuant to section 3301.071 of the Revised Code.

(C) Except as provided in division (D) of this section, no school district shall admit to the first grade any child who has not successfully completed kindergarten.

(D) Upon request of a parent, the requirement of division (C) of this section may be waived by the district's pupil personnel services committee in the case of a child who is at least six years of age by the thirtieth day of September of the year of admittance and who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the committee the possession of the social, emotional, and cognitive skills necessary for first grade.

The board of education of each city, local, and exempted village school district shall establish a pupil personnel services committee. The committee shall be composed of all of the following to the extent such personnel are either employed by the district or employed by the governing board of the educational service center within whose territory the district is located and the educational service center generally furnishes the services of such personnel to the district:

(1) The director of pupil personnel services;

(2) An elementary school counselor;

(3) An elementary school principal;

(4) A school psychologist;

(5) A teacher assigned to teach first grade;

(6) A gifted coordinator.

The responsibilities of the pupil personnel services committee shall be limited to the issuing of waivers allowing admittance to the first grade without the successful completion of kindergarten. The committee shall have no other authority except as specified in this section.

(E) The scheduling of times for kindergarten classes and length of the school day for kindergarten shall be determined by the board of education of a city, exempted village, or local school district.

(F) Any kindergarten class offered by a day-care provider or school described by division (B)(1) or (B)(2)(a) of this section shall be developmentally appropriate.

(G) Upon written request of a day-care provider described by division (B)(2)(a) of this section, the department of education shall determine whether certification held by a teacher employed by the provider meets the requirement of division (B)(2)(b)(iii) of this section and, if so, shall furnish the provider a statement to that effect.

(H) As used in this division, "all-day kindergarten" has the same meaning as in section 3317.029 of the Revised Code.

(1) Any school district that is not eligible to receive poverty-based assistance for all-day kindergarten under division (D) of section 3317.029 of the Revised Code may charge fees or tuition for students enrolled in all-day kindergarten. If a district charges fees or tuition for all-day kindergarten under this division, the district shall develop a sliding fee scale based on family incomes.

(2) The department of education shall conduct an annual survey of each school district described in division (H)(1) of this section to determine the following:

(a) Whether the district charges fees or tuition for students enrolled in all-day kindergarten;

(b) The amount of the fees or tuition charged;

(c) How many of the students for whom tuition is charged are eligible for free lunches under the "National School Lunch Act," 60 Stat. 230 (1946), 42 U.S.C. 1751, as amended, and the "Child Nutrition Act of 1966," 80 Stat. 885, 42 U.S.C. 1771, as amended, and how many of the students for whom tuition is charged are eligible for reduced price lunches under those acts;

(d) How many students are enrolled in traditional half-day kindergarten rather than all-day kindergarten.

Each district shall report to the department, in the manner prescribed by the department, the information described in divisions (H)(2)(a) to (d) of this section.

The department shall issue an annual report on the results of the survey and shall post the report on its web site. The department shall issue the first report not later than April 30, 2008, and shall issue a report not later than the thirtieth day of April each year thereafter.

Sec. 3326.11. Each science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school established under this chapter and its governing body shall comply with sections 9.90, 9.91, 109.65, 121.22, 149.43, 2151.357, 2151.421, 2313.18, 2921.42, 2921.43, 3301.0712, 3301.0714, 3301.0715, 3313.14, 3313.15, 3313.16, 3313.18, 3313.201, 3313.26, 3313.472, 3313.48, 3313.481, 3313.482, 3313.50, 3313.536, 3313.608, 3313.6012, 3313.6013, 3313.6014, 3313.61, 3313.611, 3313.614, 3313.615, 3313.643, 3313.648, 3313.66, 3313.661, 3313.662, 3313.666, 3313.667, 3313.67, 3313.671, 3313.672, 3313.673, 3313.69, 3313.71, 3313.716, 3313.718, 3313.80, 3313.801, 3313.96, 3319.073, 3319.21, 3319.313, 3319.314, 3319.315, 3319.32, 3319.321, 3319.35, 3319.39, 3319.391, 3319.45, 3321.01, 3321.13, 3321.14, 3321.17, 3321.18, 3321.19, 3321.191, 3327.10, 4111.17, 4113.52, and 5705.391 and Chapters 102., 117., 1347., 2744., 3307., 3309., 3365., 3742., 4112., 4123., 4141., and 4167. of the Revised Code as if it were a school district.

Sec. 3326.23.  The governing body of each science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school annually shall provide the following assurances in writing to the department of education not later than ten business days prior to the opening of the school:

(A) That the school has a plan for providing special education and related services to students with disabilities and has demonstrated the capacity to provide those services in accordance with Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code and federal law;

(B) That the school has a plan and procedures for administering the achievement tests and diagnostic assessments prescribed by sections 3301.0710 and 3301.0715 of the Revised Code;

(C) That school personnel have the necessary training, knowledge, and resources to properly use and submit information to all databases maintained by the department for the collection of education data, including the education management information system established under section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code;

(D) That all required information about the school has been submitted to the Ohio education directory system or any successor system;

(E) That all classroom teachers are licensed in accordance with sections 3319.22 to 3319.31 of the Revised Code or are engaged to teach pursuant to section 3319.301 of the Revised Code;

(F) That the school's treasurer is in compliance with section 3326.21 of the Revised Code;

(G) That the school has complied with section 3319.39 of the Revised Code with respect to all employees who are responsible for the care, custody, or control of a child and that the school has conducted a criminal records check of each of its governing body members;

(H) That the school holds all of the following:

(1) Proof of property ownership or a lease for the facilities used by the school;

(2) A certificate of occupancy;

(3) Liability insurance for the school, as required by section 3326.11 of the Revised Code;

(4) A satisfactory health and safety inspection;

(5) A satisfactory fire inspection;

(6) A valid food permit, if applicable.

(I) That the governing body has conducted a pre-opening site visit to the school for the school year for which the assurances are provided;

(J) That the school has designated a date it will open for the school year for which the assurances are provided;

(K) That the school has met all of the governing body's requirements for opening and any other requirements of the governing body.

Sec. 3327.10.  (A) No person shall be employed as driver of a school bus or motor van, owned and operated by any school district or educational service center or privately owned and operated under contract with any school district or service center in this state, who has not received a certificate from the educational service center governing board in case such person is employed by a service center or by a local school district under the supervision of the service center governing board, or by the superintendent of schools, in case such person is employed by the board of a city or exempted village school district, certifying that such person is at least eighteen years of age and is of good moral character and is qualified physically and otherwise for such position. The service center governing board or the superintendent, as the case may be, shall provide for an annual physical examination that conforms with rules adopted by the state board of education of each driver to ascertain the driver's physical fitness for such employment. Any certificate may be revoked by the authority granting the same on proof that the holder has been guilty of failing to comply with division (D)(1) of this section, or upon a conviction or a guilty plea for a violation, or any other action, that results in a loss or suspension of driving rights. Failure to comply with such division may be cause for disciplinary action or termination of employment under division (C) of section 3319.081, or section 124.34 of the Revised Code.

(B) No person shall be employed as driver of a school bus or motor van not subject to the rules of the department of education pursuant to division (A) of this section who has not received a certificate from the school administrator or contractor certifying that such person is at least eighteen years of age, is of good moral character, and is qualified physically and otherwise for such position. Each driver shall have an annual physical examination which conforms to the state highway patrol rules, ascertaining the driver's physical fitness for such employment. The examination shall be performed by one of the following:

(1) A person licensed under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code or by another state to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery;

(2) A physician assistant;

(3) A certified nurse practitioner;

(4) A clinical nurse specialist;

(5) A certified nurse-midwife.

Any written documentation of the physical examination shall be completed by the individual who performed the examination.

Any certificate may be revoked by the authority granting the same on proof that the holder has been guilty of failing to comply with division (D)(2) of this section.

(C) Any person who drives a school bus or motor van must give satisfactory and sufficient bond except a driver who is an employee of a school district and who drives a bus or motor van owned by the school district.

(D) No person employed as driver of a school bus or motor van under this section who is convicted of a traffic violation or who has had the person's commercial driver's license suspended shall drive a school bus or motor van until the person has filed a written notice of the conviction or suspension, as follows:

(1) If the person is employed under division (A) of this section, the person shall file the notice with the superintendent, or a person designated by the superintendent, of the school district for which the person drives a school bus or motor van as an employee or drives a privately owned and operated school bus or motor van under contract.

(2) If employed under division (B) of this section, the person shall file the notice with the employing school administrator or contractor, or a person designated by the administrator or contractor.

(E) In addition to resulting in possible revocation of a certificate as authorized by divisions (A) and (B) of this section, violation of division (D) of this section is a minor misdemeanor.

(F)(1) Not later than thirty days after June 30, 2007, each owner of a school bus or motor van shall obtain the complete driving record for each person who is currently employed or otherwise authorized to drive the school bus or motor van. An owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit a person to operate the school bus or motor van for the first time before the owner has obtained the person's complete driving record. Thereafter, the owner of a school bus or motor van shall obtain the person's driving record not less frequently than semiannually if the person remains employed or otherwise authorized to drive the school bus or motor van. An owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit a person to resume operating a school bus or motor van, after an interruption of one year or longer, before the owner has obtained the person's complete driving record.

(2) The owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit a person to operate the school bus or motor van for six years after the date on which the person pleads guilty to or is convicted of a violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.

(3) An owner of a school bus or motor van shall not permit any person to operate such a vehicle unless the person meets all other requirements contained in rules adopted by the state board of education prescribing qualifications of drivers of school buses and other student transportation.

(G) No superintendent of a school district, educational service center, community school, or public or private employer shall permit the operation of a vehicle used for pupil transportation within this state by an individual unless both of the following apply:

(1) Information pertaining to that driver has been submitted to the department of education, pursuant to procedures adopted by that department. Information to be reported shall include the name of the employer or school district, name of the driver, driver license number, date of birth, date of hire, status of physical evaluation, and status of training.

(2) A The most recent criminal records check required by division (J) of this section, including information from the federal bureau of investigation, has been completed and received by the superintendent or public or private employer.

(H) A person, school district, educational service center, community school, nonpublic school, or other public or nonpublic entity that owns a school bus or motor van, or that contracts with another entity to operate a school bus or motor van, may impose more stringent restrictions on drivers than those prescribed in this section, in any other section of the Revised Code, and in rules adopted by the state board.

(I) For qualified drivers who, on the effective date of this amendment July 1, 2007, are employed by the owner of a school bus or motor van to drive the school bus or motor van, any instance in which the driver was convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance prior to two years prior to the effective date of this amendment July 1, 2007, shall not be considered a disqualifying event with respect to division (F) of this section.

(J)(1) This division applies to persons hired by a school district, educational service center, community school, chartered nonpublic school, or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code to operate a vehicle used for pupil transportation.

For each person to whom this division applies who is hired on or after the effective date of this amendment, the employer shall request a criminal records check in accordance with section 3319.39 of the Revised Code and every six years thereafter. For each person to whom this division applies who is hired prior to that date, the employer shall request a criminal records check by a date prescribed by the department of education and every six years thereafter.

(2) This division applies to persons hired by a public or private employer not described in division (J)(1) of this section to operate a vehicle used for pupil transportation.

For each person to whom this division applies who is hired on or after the effective date of this amendment, the employer shall request a criminal records check prior to the person's hiring and every six years thereafter. For each person to whom this division applies who is hired prior to that date, the employer shall request a criminal records check by a date prescribed by the department and every six years thereafter.

(3) Each request for a criminal records check under division (J) of this section shall be made to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation in the manner prescribed in section 3319.39 of the Revised Code. Upon receipt of a request, the bureau shall conduct the criminal records check in accordance with section 109.572 of the Revised Code as if the request had been made under section 3319.39 of the Revised Code.

(K) Any person who is the subject of a criminal records check under division (J) of this section and has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any offense described in division (B)(1) of section 3319.39 of the Revised Code shall not be hired or shall be released from employment, as applicable, unless the person meets the rehabilitation standards adopted by the department under division (E) of that section.

SECTION 2. That existing sections 109.57, 121.40, 3301.0710, 3301.0711, 3314.03, 3314.19, 3319.089, 3319.291, 3319.31, 3319.39, 3321.01, 3326.11, 3326.23, and 3327.10 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. Not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, upon the request of the superintendent of a joint vocational school district, may grant the district a waiver from the requirements of sections 3313.48 and 3313.481 of the Revised Code for the 2006-2007 school year if all of the following conditions applied to the district in that school year:

(A) The school district was participating in the Vocational School Facilities Assistance Program established under sections 3318.40 to 3318.45 of the Revised Code and the Executive Director of the Ohio School Facilities Commission certified to the Superintendent of Public Instruction that the district's project under that program experienced delays due to unanticipated structural conditions.

(B) The project delays caused the district to be open for instruction with pupils in attendance for fewer days or hours than required by sections 3313.48, 3313.481, and 3317.01 of the Revised Code.

(C) The district required its students to engage in activities outside of school that were relevant to the subject areas in which they were missing instruction to offset the reduction in instructional time.

No waiver shall be granted under this section to a district that was closed for more than eleven days in excess of the days it is permitted to be closed for a public calamity under division (B) of section 3317.01 of the Revised Code. No district that receives a waiver under this section shall be considered to have failed to comply with division (B) of section 3317.01 of the Revised Code if it otherwise meets the requirements of that division.

SECTION 4.  The amendments to section 3321.01 of the Revised Code by this act are intended to clarify the General Assembly's original intent related to a school district's authority to charge fees or tuition for students enrolled in all-day kindergarten as it existed prior to the effective date of this section, are remedial in nature, and are not intended to create any new authority.

SECTION 5. That Section 8 of Am. Sub. S.B. 311 of the 126th General Assembly be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 8. (A) There is hereby established a public-private collaborative commission to issue recommendations for promoting greater incidence of student success in conjunction with the Ohio Core curriculum. The commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) A school district superintendent, appointed by the Governor;

(2) A business or civic leader, appointed by the Governor;

(3) Two public members, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives in consultation with the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(4) Two public members, appointed by the President of the Senate in consultation with the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(5) One member, appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction;

(6) One member, appointed by the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents.

(B) The school district superintendent and the business or civic leader appointed by the Governor shall be co-chairpersons of the commission.

(C) The commission's recommendations shall address methods of encouraging students and their families to develop a greater vision for their successful future in Ohio, including consideration of career opportunities afforded by pursuing higher education and the use of mentorships, internships, and other programs to provide guidance to students and their families toward pursuing higher education and career opportunities.

(D) The commission shall issue its recommendations by December 31, 2007 July 1, 2008. The recommendations shall be provided to the Governor, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the chairpersons and ranking minority members of the committees that consider education in the House of Representatives and Senate, the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents, and the Partnership for Continued Learning.

SECTION 6. That existing Section 8 of Am. Sub. S.B. 311 of the 126th General Assembly is hereby repealed.

SECTION 7. (A) The Department of Education shall conduct a survey of each city, exempted village, local, and joint vocational school district to determine the following:

(1) Whether the district charges fees for any of the following:

(a) Classes or programs that are offered during the regular school day or after school and for which students earn credit or are assigned grades;

(b) Instructional materials;

(c) Summer school.

(2) The amount of the fees charged;

(3) The grade levels to which the fees apply;

(4) Whether the district utilizes a sliding fee scale based on family income;

(5) Whether the district waives the fees or otherwise provides for their payment for students whose parents or guardians are unable to pay the fees;

(6) Any other information deemed relevant by the Department.

(B) Each district shall report to the Department, in the manner prescribed by the Department, the information described in divisions (A)(1) to (6) of this section.

(C) The Department shall issue a report on the results of the survey not later than April 30, 2008, and shall post the report on its web site.

SECTION 8.  Not later than December 31, 2007, the Department of Education shall recommend to the General Assembly penalties for failure to report to the Department or the State Board of Education information about persons licensed by the State Board who have committed an act that is unbecoming to the teaching profession or that may make the person a threat to the safety of students. The Department shall provide copies of the recommendations to the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons and ranking minority members of the standing committees on education of the Senate and House of Representatives.

SECTION 9.  Not later than three months after the effective date of this section, the Educator Standards Board established under section 3319.60 of the Revised Code shall recommend to the State Board of Education a code of conduct for educators. The code of conduct shall address persons who are licensed by the State Board and recommendations shall include both of the following:

(A) Descriptions of conduct that is inappropriate for educators;

(B) Disciplinary actions that should be taken against educators who engage in each type of misconduct, including the refusal, suspension, limiting, or revocation of a license under section 3319.31 of the Revised Code.

SECTION 10.  Section 3314.03 of the Revised Code is presented in this act as a composite of the section as amended by Am. Sub. H.B. 79, Am. Sub. H.B. 137, Sub. H.B. 184, Am. Sub. H.B. 276, Sub. H.B. 422, Am. Sub. H.B. 530, Sub. S.B. 164, and Am. Sub. S.B. 311 of the 126th General Assembly. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the composite is the resulting version of the section in effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in this act.

SECTION 11. This act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. The reason for such necessity is that school districts need clarification of their authority to charge fees or tuition for all-day kindergarten to ensure that students enrolled in kindergarten on a fee or tuition basis continue to receive educational services. Therefore, this act shall go into immediate effect.

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