|
House Dems Lead Bipartisan Effort to End School Takeovers,
Restore Local Control
Say takeovers have failed
students, districts, Ohio
House Democrats last week
announced the passage of House Bill (HB) 154, a bipartisan
effort to end state takeovers of local schools and restore
control to local education officials. The bill comes amid
questions of accountability, transparency and lackluster
results from district takeovers in Youngstown, Lorain and
East Cleveland.
"State takeovers aren't
working, and we owe it to our kids to get this right," said
House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron).
"Ending school takeovers is one of our caucus priorities,
and this bipartisan effort stands as a testament to our
ability to deliver results for Ohio taxpayers. Today is a
real win for our state and it helps restore our promise to
taxpayers that, at your Statehouse, we work for you."
HB 154 would dissolve
existing Academic Distress Commissions, prevent the creation
of new ones, and require local boards of education to
establish improvement plans for low-performing schools,
including adding more wraparound services like after-school
enrichment and social and health services.
"Top-down, unaccountable
school takeovers have failed to provide struggling schools
with the support they need," said Rep. Joe Miller
(D-Amherst), the bill's sponsor. "Today's vote is an
important step in giving a voice back to our communities and
ensuring that our children receive the quality education
they deserve."
The school takeover law,
which passed as an eleventh-hour amendment to HB 70 in 2015,
has come under fire as unelected academic distress
commissions headed by out-of-district CEOs have taken over
duties of democratically-elected school board members in
East Cleveland, Lorain and Youngstown, which critics say
aren't working.
"Failed school takeovers have been bad for students, bad for
districts and bad for Ohio," said Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan
(D-Youngstown). "We can't let students continue to fall
behind. HB 154 is a collaborative, months-long effort to
bring everyone to the table-parents, administrators and
education officials-to restore local control and give
districts a path forward to ensure every child receives a
good education."
Under the current state
takeover system, 10 more districts are in danger of being
stripped of local control, including Ashtabula, Canton,
Columbus, Dayton, Euclid, Lima, Mansfield, North College
Hill, Painesville and Toledo.
"As the state representative
who represents East Cleveland and its 181-year-old public
high school, I believe that every Ohio child can change the
world. Perhaps the next great Lordstown innovation is
currently in a Youngstown classroom. Perhaps the solution
to the Lake Erie algae crisis is a Lorain student. Perhaps
the next great civil rights leader is walking down an East
Cleveland school hallway," said Minority Whip Kent Smith
(D-Euclid). "These kids, our kids, can do great things. But
to help ensure their potential is fully realized, local
voters and local school boards should be in control. Passing
HB 154 today is good for East Cleveland and good for Ohio."
Democrats, led by Rep.
Phillip M. Robinson (D-Solon), the lead Democrat on the
House education panel that heard testimony on HB 154, held a
series of meetings with school officials, administrators and
education advocates throughout the legislative process.
"It was so critical for us
to bring everyone to the table to get this right for our
children. This bill is a victory for families and students
by having local communities be proactive and at the center
of addressing the education challenges that face their
schools," said Rep. Phil Robinson. "This will give teachers
and children the ability to succeed and restore Ohio's
Promise that if you work hard, with the right support and
equal opportunity, you can get ahead."
After receiving bipartisan
support in the House, the bill moves to the Senate for
further consideration.
Here is what other
Democratic lawmakers are saying:
"As a career educator and
former middle school science teacher in the Columbus City
Schools, I am very pleased that the Ohio House of
Representatives helped us keep our Promise to the 1.2
million children in Ohio and their families by passing
Substitute House Bill 154 today," said Rep. Mary Lightbody
(D-Westerville). "Keeping control of our school districts in
the hands of local elected officials while continuing to
improve the quality of our schools and helping prepare all
our children for their futures is of utmost importance and a
significant win for our schools."
"I applaud this bipartisan
effort to overhaul the school takeover process. As elected
officials, we have a responsibility to our constituents to
reform the failed school takeover process and I believe that
HB154 takes a big step toward that goal." -Rep. Richard
Brown (D-Canal Winchester)
"School takeovers force
administrators into making decisions that are unattainable
for staff, students, and communities. If we plan to make
change, we must be addressing failing schools through a
school-level, holistic perspective, instead of painting a
broad stroke and saying all schools and all children have
the same needs. I believe real change will happen on a
pupil-by-pupil basis, and by making changes that address
barriers to success including increased recess time,
bringing back the arts to school, providing healthier food
choices, on-site laundry, housing stability, and more."
-Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights)
"Ending school takeovers is
a vital step to give local communities the ability to take
the necessary actions to work collaboratively to ensure our
children receive a good public education. Supporting our
children in their education journey can only take place when
the state supports local communities versus working against
local communities. House Bill 154 restores local control and
provides a path forward for local communities to work with
the State of Ohio to provide a good public education for
Ohio's children." -Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland)
"CEOs and corporate special
interests have no place in the classroom. I'm proud to have
helped pass HB 154 before Toledo gets caught in the wake of
these state takeovers." - Rep. Mike Sheehy (D-Toledo)
"Having been a school board
member for 20 years as well as a trustee and then President
of the Ohio School Boards Assn, I applaud the bipartisan
decision today to return the accountability of our school
districts' success back to the communities which they serve.
We have much more work to do, but H. B. 154 allows us to
move forward for Ohio's most vulnerable children. This is
another 'Ohio Promise' kept." -Catherine Ingram
(D-Cincinnati)
"Unlike the rushed process
for HB 70, HB 154 actually helps our local schools, like TPS,
get back on track to improve the educational experience for
our children. Instead of the threat of a state takeover and
an unchecked CEO, local communities will now be empowered
and supported by the state to help struggling schools. Our
actions today in the Statehouse live up to the Ohio
promise." -Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo)
|
