To the Editor: Bipartisan legislation will help schools improve learning

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Last fall, State Senator Randy Gardner hosted a meeting for Northwest Ohio superintendents, treasurers
and board members to discuss growing concerns about the negative impact of recently passed state laws on
school operations.
The meeting featured local school leaders and representatives from major educational organizations.
Concerns ranging from the new cumbersome teacher evaluation system to the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee
were discussed as well as possible remedies.
Leaders asked that planned online assessments be delayed until there was assurance that infrastructure
was ready for full implementation.
If you have a child in school who took one or more pilot tests this spring, you probably already know
there is still work to be done. Senator Gardner made no promises on an eventual outcome, but he did
pledge action.
Some positive changes were made to the credentialing of staff who serve students retained under the
provisions of the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee as well as SB 229 which made common sense changes to the
current teacher evaluation system.
What makes SB 229 a rarity in American politics, is that it was truly a bipartisan bill that was
supported unanimously in the Ohio Senate. Sadly, the bill was overhauled in the Ohio House, and many
ideas generated by a broad spectrum of stakeholders were cast aside.
On May 20, the Ohio Senate once again showed leadership under Education Chair Peggy Lehner and reinstated
SB 229 into the Mid-Biennial Review bill also known as HB 487.
In addition, they made important alterations that are widely supported by educational leaders in Ohio.
Many of these changes are reasonable provisions that keep good programs or policies in place and make
changes where needed.
HB 487 now must go to a conference committee where the fate of these sensible changes hangs in the
balance. We strongly urge members of the Ohio House to accept the bipartisan changes added by the Ohio
Senate, and move them to Governor Kasich for approval.
Provisions will also give districts an option to use paper/pencil assessments for 2014-15 instead of
online assessments. These changes will allow teachers and administrators to focus more time where it
belongs – on children.
As superintendents in Northwest Ohio, we stand committed to improving teaching and learning, and we ask
Ohioans to contact their representatives to support bipartisan legislation that will help us accomplish
our mission.
Brent Welker
Eastwood superintendent and Greater Northwest Ohio superintendents

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