Synopsis of Committee Amendments

Legislative Service Commission

LSC Synopsis of Senate Amendments

 

Sub. H.B. 276

126th General Assembly

(S. Education)

 

 

Harassment, intimidation, and bullying

Prohibits the Auditor of State from prescribing the content or operation of a school district's or community school's anti-harassment policy.

Requires school districts, community schools, and educational service centers to provide elementary school employees with training in violence and substance abuse prevention and positive youth development (in addition to child abuse prevention, as under current law).

Achievement testing and diagnostic assessments

Eliminates the summer administration of the third grade reading achievement test.

Allows students who otherwise must pass the former ninth grade proficiency tests for high school graduation but who have not fulfilled the curriculum requirements for a diploma by September 15, 2006, to meet the graduation testing requirement by passing any combination of proficiency tests and Ohio Graduation Tests in the five tested subjects.

Requires school districts and community schools to administer the kindergarten readiness assessment between four weeks prior to the start of school and October 1.

Student information

Provides for the assignment of EMIS student data verification codes for children receiving early intervention services under the Help Me Grow program.

Permits the Department of Education to have access to personally identifiable information about a student if the Department needs the information to (1) notify the student's school district or school of threats or descriptions of harm included in the student's response to an achievement test question, (2) verify the accuracy of the student's achievement test score, or (3) determine whether the student satisfies the alternative conditions for a high school diploma.

Community schools

Expands the definition of community school operator to include a nonprofit organization that provides programmatic oversight and support to the school and retains the right to terminate its affiliation with the school for failure to meet quality standards.

Allows community schools established outside of the statewide caps to be managed by operators not currently managing schools in Ohio.

Permits a school district to include the academic performance data of a community school located in the district on the district report card if the district (1) leases a building to the school or (2) has an agreement with the school to endorse each other's programs.

Specifies a procedure for a parent to waive entitlement to a computer from an Internet- or computer-based community school.

Other provisions

Repeals the authorization for teachers to temporarily teach a subject area or grade for which they are not licensed.

Permits a school district to renew the contract of a director, supervisor, or coach of a pupil-activity program who is not a licensed educator without first offering that position to a licensed educator.

Revises the requirements for textbook publishers to file the wholesale prices of electronic files containing code for translating textbooks into Braille and other formats for the blind and visually impaired.

Permits temporary deficits in school district special funds if state payments to cover the deficits are pending and the unspent and unencumbered balance in the district's general fund exceeds the aggregate deficit amounts.

Permits the Superintendent of Public Instruction to waiver the minimum number of school days in the 2006-2007 school year for a joint vocational school district that experiences delays in a state-assisted construction project.

Permits the boards of trustees of Rio Grande Community College and the University of Rio Grande to enter into a contract to have the university operate the community college and to employ a joint president.

H0276-126.doc/ss                                                                                                         12/14/06