Testimony Toolkit

• Learn everything you need to know about submitting testimony through these testimony toolkits

• Ohio House Committee Testimony Toolkit

• Ohio Senate Committee Testimony Toolkit

Tips

• Learn about the bill before preparing your testimony. You can find information and links to all education-related legislation on this webpage.

• Prepare your testimony early so it's ready to submit when the hearing is announced. Many committees only provide 1-2 days advance notice of a hearing.

• You can testify in person or submit written-only testimony if you are unable to attend the scheduled committee hearing.

• Need a testimony template? Find it here.

• Submitting Testimony:

  • Do NOT submit your testimony until the appropriate hearing is formally announced. Many committees will reject testimony if submitted too early.

  • Testimony is due at least 24 hours ahead of the scheduled committee hearing

  • For House Committees: Email this completed witness slip and a PDF of your testimony to the committee chair. You can find their emails in the spreadsheet above. In your email, indicate the bill number and type of testimony you are submitting (proponent/opponent and in-person/written) and ask for a confirmation of receipt.

  • For Senate Committees: Upload your testimony by selecting the meeting date and locating the “upload testimony” button on the top of the page. Here is a link to the Senate Education page.

  • Need help? Contact us at info@honestyforohioeducation.org

• Presenting In-Person Testimony:

  • Witnesses have five minutes to present testimony

  • Be prepared to answer committee questions (it is OK to respond, "I do not have that information, but I'm happy to forward those answers in the coming days.")

  • Arrive at least 30 minutes early for parking and seating

• All committee hearings and Statehouse sessions are televised LIVE and recorded on The Ohio Channel

Request Committee Hearing Notices

• It's important to track and monitor bills in their committees and Statehouse sessions. You're encouraged to join the bill's committee mailing list to receive hearing notices and agenda updates.

• Use this guide to sign up for committee notice lists.

​Newspapers publish Letters to the Editor (LTEs) and Opposite the Editorial (Op-Ed) pieces as a space for public debate on opinions or to discuss issues missed by the regular news. They should be written with a clear opinion, and even better if its problem-solution oriented. Opinion sections are among the most read sections in the newspaper, and legislators often read the Opinion section to get a sense of what their constituents are passionate about. 

Before You Begin Writing

Pay attention to submission requirements (word length & how to submit). Submission requirements are typically found in the Opinion section of the newspaper.

• Letters to the Editor (LTEs) are generally 200 words 

• Opinion Pieces (Op-Eds) are range from (600-700 words) 

Below is submission information and links for major newspapers around the state 

• The Akron Beacon Journal (email vop@thebeaconjournal.com) 

• The Cincinnati Enquirer 

• Cleveland.com (The Plain Dealer, Sun News Editor) 

• The Columbus Dispatch 

• Dayton Daily News 

• The Toledo Blade 

Read other LTEs & Op-Eds in that newspaper to get a sense of the criteria they use. 

If you have a relationship, call or discuss the opinion piece with the editor before submitting. For example, sometimes editors feel a story or particular angle has been exhausted and may indicate the need for a fresh angle. Relationships are easier to establish with local or community papers.

Writing an LTE or Op-ed

• The order of your points and content is important: Keep your priority content at the top, editors have the discretion to shorten your submission and normally do so from the bottom 

• Be concise and efficient with your words: Make sure every sentence has its own purpose. 

• Stay on one message and don’t use jargon: Make sure you know your message, what you want to say, and use clear and simple language—short words and sentences go a long way! 

• If you have a strong personal story, include it (a compelling human interest story goes a long way to hook editors and readers).

• Reference a former article that the newspaper wrote, or an event that happened in the community, and connect it to your content.

• Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! 

• Be sure to include your name, city, and contact information It is best to submit your piece via email, either in the body of your email or as an attachment.

Contact your lawmakers and statehouse leaders, like committee chairs and vice chairs, to advocate for or against legislation. All contact information can be found in the Statehouse Committees and Legislators section above.