Sub.
H.B. 115
126th General Assembly
(S. Education)
Changes the date on which the Educational Regional Service System (ERSS) is to be operational from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007.
States the intent of the General Assembly that ERSS reduce unnecessary duplication of programs and provide for a more efficient delivery of educational services.
Realigns the 16 ERSS regions to coincide with the regions served by the existing special education regional resource centers.
Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules by July 1, 2007, establishing a process for school districts to transfer to a different ERSS region by June 30, 2009.
Specifies that fee-for-service contracts with educational service centers (ESCs) may provide for (1) assistance in improving student performance, (2) services to enable a school district or school to operate more efficiently, (3) professional development, (4) assistance in the recruitment and retention of staff, or (5) any other educational, administrative, or operational services.
Adds the following members to the regional advisory councils: (1) the treasurer of the region's fiscal agent, (2) one ESC governing board member, (3) one superintendent of a city, exempted village, or local school district, (4) one superintendent of a joint vocational school district, and (5) one teacher.
Clarifies that the superintendent of each ESC with territory in the region is a member of the regional advisory council and that one employee of each education technology center that provides services in the region is also a member.
Adds one teacher to the school improvement subcommittee, special education subcommittee, and data acquisition site subcommittee of each regional advisory council.
Requires regional advisory councils to meet at least four times annually during their first two years (rather than monthly as in the House version).
Specifies that the policies of a regional advisory council do not supersede the requirements of a performance contract.
Changes the deadline for the Department of Education to select a fiscal agent for each ERSS region to January 31, 2007 (instead of July 1, 2006, as in the House version).
Specifies that each data acquisition site's state operating funds and each ESC's per-pupil state funding and payments deducted from the state aid accounts of school districts do not pass through the regional fiscal agent for disbursement.
Requires the Department to post on its website the results of evaluations of whether the goals of performance contracts with regional fiscal agents have been met.
Requires the Department to consider the unique needs of each ERSS region when allocating funds for the implementation of statewide education initiatives.
Adds the following members to the State Regional Alliance Advisory Board: (1) one representative of the Ohio School Boards Association, (2) one school administrator, and (3) one representative of the Ohio Association of School Business Officials.
Adds one teacher to the proposed EMIS Advisory Board.
Reduces the amount deducted from a school district for each of its kindergarten students receiving an Educational Choice Scholarship to $2,700 (instead of $5,200 as under current law).
Permits the governing authority of a start-up community school that is not managed by an independent operator and that meets certain performance criteria to establish another community school outside the current temporary cap on community schools.
Permits a school district to establish residency requirements for its superintendent.
Appropriates $13.2 million in FY 2007 to support implementation of the Ohio Core Program through alternative teacher licensure programs and dual enrollment programs in the areas of math, science, engineering, technology, and foreign language.
H0115-126.doc/ar 5/24/2006