OEA calls for sweeping changes to state report cards
Instead of a cookie-cutter approach to state report cards, OEA envisions a system that uses a performance dashboard and a student opportunity profile that have proven successful in other states, such as Oregon and Massachusetts, in informing educators, parents, elected officials and policy makers of how districts and schools are faring.
In a recent survey of more than 1,400 OEA members, 96% indicated they do not believe the current state report card system fairly assesses Ohio schools, and 89.4% support the elimination of A-F grades.
“Now is the time to end the destructive practice of rating schools and districts on misleading and punitive A-F letter grades that shame public educators for the poverty of their students,” said OEA President Scott DiMauro. “Studies consistently show that there is a direct correlation between ratings and wealth, and for too long, low ratings have been used as cover for diverting taxpayer resources to unaccountable charter and private schools and as an excuse to punish communities and educators by depriving them of local control and collective bargaining rights through state takeover schemes.”
OEA’s recommended reforms include information on the demographic and financial make-up of schools and districts, and a performance dashboard on how well students are learning that includes three-year trends and comparisons to district and statewide averages. A proposed student opportunity profile would provide detailed information on what students have been offered to enhance their success.
“Current report cards in Ohio are overly complicated, depriving parents, policymakers, and communities of understandable information that demonstrates how schools are really doing in providing opportunities for learning to students,” said DiMauro. “A new system is needed to ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness with the aim of identifying areas in need of improvement and empowering local stakeholders to make decisions that direct resources where they are most needed.”
* To read the details of what was approved by the OEA Representative Assembly, click here.
OEA: State Report Cards Continue to Mislead
“It is past time to end the use of confusing and misleading state report cards in Ohio,” said OEA President Scott DiMauro. “We need a new report card system that is fair, informative and transparent.”
“It’s widely recognized that the current report cards rely too heavily on standardized tests and counter-intuitive methodologies that are stacked against low-income districts,” said DiMauro. “As the work continues to fix the flawed state report cards, efforts must also be made to do more to overcome the barriers to learning that are caused by poverty.”
The Ohio Education Association represents 122,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
Columbus Education Assoc. Reaches Conceptual Agreement
For Immediate Release
Contact: CEA President John Coneglio, 614-253-4731
“We appreciate the support and solidarity demonstrated by our members, community allies, and labor partners in our fight for the schools Columbus Students Deserve. We would also like to acknowledge the hard work of federal mediator Joe Trejo in bringing this process to a successful conclusion. Our members will review and vote on ratification of this conceptual agreement before further details are released” said CEA President John Coneglio.
CEA members will welcome students to the start of the traditional 2019-2020 school year on August 22.
The Columbus Education Association is the union representing more than 4,000 teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, psychologists, and other education professionals in Columbus City Schools. The Columbus Education Association is a proud affiliate of the Ohio Education Association and the National Education Association.
OEA Views State Budget as Mixed Bag
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Julie Newhall
614 578-6380 or newhallj@ohea.org
The Ohio Education Association (OEA) said today that while it welcomes the progress made by state lawmakers on some fronts in the state budget, it is disappointed that more could not be achieved on important issues, notably the repeal of the failed state takeover of troubled school districts which was overwhelmingly supported by the House in its adoption of HB 154.
OEA President Scott DiMauro noted that a moratorium on new Academic Distress Commissions in the budget deal is a tacit admission of what educators, parents, students and an increasing number of legislators know to be true – that state takeovers don’t serve the interests of the students they were intended to help.
“Sadly, the legislature leaves the communities of Youngstown, Lorain and East Cleveland languishing under a failing law until they can figure out how to give districts struggling with high levels of poverty the support they need,” said DiMauro. “As we continue the fight to enact HB 154 to repeal state takeovers and restore local control, I am deeply disappointed in the decision to allow CEOs to continue wreaking havoc on our schools.”
On the plus side, OEA said it is pleased to see the expansion of school breakfast programs in high-poverty districts and welcomes the significant new funding for wrap-around services in those districts that help students get ready to learn.
OEA also applauds lawmakers for taking a small but important step toward fixing Ohio’s misleading report card system by adjusting the value-added grading scale to give school districts more credit for the progress they have made with students.
OEA is encouraged by requirements that charter e-schools disclose more information about their operations. However, OEA is disappointed with budget provisions that dial-back on accountability for charter sponsors and drop-out prevention charter schools.
In addition, OEA also believes strongly that the expansion of voucher programs in the budget is unnecessary. “Ohio has no shortage of vouchers to pay private school tuition on the taxpayer’s dime,” said OEA President Scott DiMauro. “It is time to end the unnecessary and costly expansion of vouchers and focus on meeting the needs of all students in Ohio’s public schools.”
Lastly, OEA is troubled by the elimination of the requirement that teachers meet specific licensure requirements to teach in core subject areas and grades. “This removes an important protection for students and undermines the profession,” said DiMauro. “OEA is committed to serving students with highly-prepared educators.”
The Ohio Education Association represents 122,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
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Keep House-passed Language on Repealing Flawed State Takeover Law
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 — COLUMBUS — In testimony today before the Ohio Senate Education Committee, Ohio Education Association (OEA) President Becky Higgins called on legislators to keep the provisions of House Bill 154 that were included in the state budget recently passed by the House.
“We urge the Senate to keep the language in the House-passed budget that is part of HB 154 and that would do away with state-mandated Academic Distress Commissions.” — OEA President Becky Higgins
“There is widespread agreement – among educators, local officials and state lawmakers of both parties, that the law (HB 70) mandating the state takeover of troubled school districts is flawed and needs to be replaced,” said Higgins.
“We very much like the approach taken by HB 154, which would repeal HB 70 and restore local control and which recently passed the House with strong bipartisan support (83-12). We urge the Senate to keep the language in the House-passed budget that is part of HB 154 and that would do away with state-mandated Academic Distress Commissions.”
Higgins also added, “we recognize that other approaches are being offered to address the problems that plague troubled schools in our state. Whatever the eventual agreed-upon plan looks like, we believe strongly that it should include a role for educators who well understand the needs of their students and what it will take to improve student performance.
In short, we don’t need state mandates. It’s time to restore local control of our schools. We look forward to working with Senator Lehner and members of the Senate Education Committee on a viable alternative to the current fatally-flawed state takeover law.”
The Ohio Education Association represents 122,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
Ohio Education Association Elects New President And Vice President
[Columbus, May 13, 2019] ─ Members of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), the state’s largest public employee union, have elected Scott DiMauro to a three-year term as President, and Jeff Wensing to a three-year term as Vice President. Both will take office on July 15, 2019. The current President, Becky Higgins, is term-limited after having served two three-year terms.
The election of the two officers took place over the weekend at the OEA’s Representative Assembly (RA), the governing body of the organization. Nearly 1,000 member delegates from OEA local affiliates throughout Ohio participated in the RA.
DiMauro, who currently serves as OEA’s Vice President, has been an active OEA member throughout his teaching career. He was a social studies teacher at Worthington Kilbourne High School before being elected as OEA’s Vice President in 2013.
OEA Vice President-elect Jeff Wensing is a 26-year high school math teacher from Parma, Ohio. Prior to his election as OEA Vice-President, Wensing served as the President of the Parma Education Association and as the President of the North Eastern Ohio Education Association.
OEA represents 122,000 teachers, education support professionals and higher-education faculty.
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OEA Applauds Passage of House Bill to Repeal State Takeover Law
MAY 1, 2019 • COLUMBUS — The Ohio Education Association said today that the overwhelming support shown in the Ohio House of Representatives for House Bill 154 is a clear sign that the law that allows the state to takeover local school districts that are deemed to be in trouble is not working and needs to be repealed.
“…silencing the voices of educators and local officials in determining the best ways to improve student performance was ill-conceived.” — OEA President Becky Higgins
House Bill 154 (Jones-R/Miller-D) was approved 83-12. House Bill 154 also does away with state-mandated Academic Distress Commissions and restores control of local school districts to elected school boards.
“The OEA has always believed that silencing the voices of educators and local officials in determining the best ways to improve student performance was ill-conceived,” said OEA President Becky Higgins. “Educators want to be able to advocate for their students and we are very pleased that House lawmakers have taken the first step toward replacing the current law. We look forward to working with Senate members to complete this important task.”
The Ohio Education Association represents 122,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
Columbus Teachers March Against Tax Breaks For Wealthy Corporations
April 24, 2019 • COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than 1,000 members of the Columbus Education Association (CEA), labor allies, and community members marched through downtown Columbus today to send a message: fund the schools Columbus students deserve, not tax breaks for wealthy corporations that don’t need them.
The march stopped for brief rallies at the headquarters of CoverMyMeds™ and at City Hall.
“We cannot work together to build the schools Columbus students deserve if we offer handouts to wealthy corporations that don’t need them” — John Coneglio, CEA President
CoverMyMeds is a subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant McKesson, the 6th most profitable corporation in the United States. In July 2018, CoverMyMeds received a 100%, 15-year tax abatement worth up to $83 million for the construction of a new headquarters in the Franklinton neighborhood that one newspaper described as immense and glittering.
As a result of this single abatement, Columbus City Schools will lose an estimated $55.6 million in property taxes.
“Today we sent a message, loud and clear, that we’re serious about winning the schools Columbus Students Deserve”
“We cannot work together to build the schools Columbus students deserve if we offer handouts to wealthy corporations that don’t need them” said John Coneglio, high school social studies teacher and Columbus Education Association President. “We cannot continue to return time and time again to individual taxpayers to shoulder the burden of funding our schools while the richest among us don’t help push the cart.”
With negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement underway, members of the Columbus Education Association have released a bargaining platform detailing their demands for the schools #ColumbusStudentsDeserve.
“As front-line educators, we see firsthand how our students struggle without the learning conditions, staffing, resources, and supports they need to succeed.” — Regina Fuentes, teacher at Eastmoor Academy High School.
The platform includes reduced class sizes and caseloads, adequate staffing to improve student access to support professionals, funding schools and saving taxpayers money by ending handouts to wealthy corporations, designated space in school buildings for art, music, and P.E., ending the school-to-prison pipeline by expanding alternative programs for discipline, and reducing teacher turnover by compensating educators as professionals.
“Today we sent a message, loud and clear, that we’re serious about winning the schools Columbus Students Deserve” said Regina Fuentes, teacher at Eastmoor Academy High School. “As front-line educators, we see firsthand how our students struggle without the learning conditions, staffing, resources, and supports they need to succeed.”
The Columbus Education Association will return to negotiations with Columbus City Schools at the end of April.
The Columbus Education Association is the union representing more than 4,000 teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, psychologists, and other education professionals in Columbus City Schools. The Columbus Education Association is a proud affiliate of the Ohio Education Association and the National Education Association.
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HB 154: Proponent Testimony – Becky Higgins
April 9, 2019
Good evening Chair Blessing, Ranking Member Robinson and members of the House Education Committee. On behalf of our 122,000 members, I am Becky Higgins, President of the Ohio Education Association.
I am here today to ask for your support for House Bill 154.
Also with me is Larry Ellis, the local president of the Youngstown Education Association and Jay Pickering, the local president of Lorain Education Association. Matt Dotson with OEA Government Relations is also here and can assist with any questions you may have.
As you might imagine, the fact that two former teachers are the bi-partisan joint sponsors of House Bill 154 is a big part of why we are strongly supportive of this bill.
These gentlemen, Representatives Jones and Miller, know first-hand what is needed to meet the challenges of providing a quality education in troubled school districts. And the current state takeover law is not getting the job done.
The state takeover and the resulting loss of local control in Youngstown, Lorain and East Cleveland schools has not helped the students in those districts.
If current law is not changed, over the next two years state government could take away local control from Dayton, Columbus, Canton, Mansfield, Lima, Toledo, Ashtabula, Euclid, North College Hill and Painesville schools.
It’s time for this to end. Let’s not do any more damage to other school districts.
We support House Bill 154 because it would do the following:
- Repeal the ill-conceived law that allows the state to takeover local school districts that are deemed to be in trouble.
- Restore local control to elected school boards.
- Hold school districts accountable by requiring school improvement teams in F-rated school buildings.
As my colleagues and our fellow OEA members in Youngstown and Lorain have experienced, the current state takeover law provides no citizen oversight through elected school boards, no voice for classroom teachers and has been bad for our kids.
Our experience in Youngstown and Lorain has demonstrated that the Academic Distress Commission/CEO model does not work. We believe that no more districts should be taken over, and that the districts that have been taken over should be relieved of that burden. That is why the first part of House Bill 154 is so important – repeal.
It is also important to note that state takeovers are based on misleading state report cards that severely penalize students and districts in poverty.
After the failed state takeover law is repealed and local control is restored, OEA stands ready to partner with the House Education Committee to fix Ohio’s broken and deceptive report card system.
Thank you for this opportunity to testify in support of House Bill 154.
We are available for any questions you may have.
Two Ohio Schools Score 2019 California Casualty’s Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grants
(April 2, 2019) Ohio Education Association partner California Casualty Insurance is pleased to announce the selection of two Ohio schools to receive the 2018-2019 California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant awards.
Logan Hocking (Logan E.A.) and Newcomerstown (Newcomerstown T.A. / Newcomerstown C.E.A.) middle schools, each, will receive $1,000 a grant for their football program. Officials are currently reaching out to both schools and their local association leaders to let them know they have been selected.
The grant is named for California Casualty Chairman Emeritus Tom Brown, an avid sportsman who believes that teamwork, confidence and sportsmanship help develop high achievers in academics and in life.
In 2017 athletes at 79 public middle schools and high schools in 33 states benefited from $83,000 awarded to aid sports programs affected by tight budgets. Since the program’s inception in 2011, more than $660,000 has been awarded to some 600 schools across the nation.