Senate Bill 1

SPONSOR
Sen. Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin, Dist 26)
​
​TARGETS
State Board of Education 
Department of Education
Governor's Cabinet

​​​DESCRIPTION​
Restructures and renames the Ohio Department of Education to "Department of Education and Workforce" and shift ODE into a cabinet-level agency managed by an appointment from the governor's office. Reduces duties of State Board of Education to appointments, licensure, employee conduct, and territory transfers. ​
COMMITTEE
Senate Education Committee
​
INTRODUCED 
January 11, 2023

WATCH HEARINGS
Sponsor - Jan 17, 2023
Proponent - Feb 7, 2023
Propon​ent, Interested Party - Feb 14, 2023

BILL 
General Info | Bill As-Written | Analysis
Sponsor Testimony

Details of SB 1

Senate Bill 1 is the updated version of the failed  Senate Bill 178 from the 134th General Assembly. Both bills are sponsored by Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin).

Summary
  • Renames the Department of Education as the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW).
  • Shifts oversight of the Dept of Education and State Board of Education to an appointment of the governor.
  • Transfers most of the powers and duties of the State Board of Education and the state superintendent to DEW.
  • Prohibits DEW from adopting additional rules for nonchartered nonpublic schools.
  • Prohibits DEW from adopting any additional rules regarding home education.

Transfer of State K-12 Governance​
  • Renames the Department of Education as the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW).
  • Creates the position of the Director of Education and Workforce, who is appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is the head of DEW.
  • Establishes within DEW the Division of Primary and Secondary Education and the Division of Career-Technical Education, each of which is headed by a Deputy Director appointed by the Director with the advice and consent of the Senate.
  • Transfers most of the powers and duties of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to DEW.
  • Retains the State Board’s and state Superintendent’s powers and duties regarding educator licensure, licensee disciplinary actions, school district territory transfers, and certain other areas.

​Workforce Development
  • Requires DEW to develop informational materials for seventh and eighth graders about available career opportunities.
  • Requires DEW to participate in the process to identify in-demand jobs.
  • Requires the Governor to appoint the Deputy Directors to the Governor’s Executive Workforce Board.

Nonchartered nonpublic schools
  • Codifies an administrative rule that sets minimum requirements for nonchartered nonpublic schools, including hours of instruction, educational requirements for teachers and administrators, curriculum, promotion, and safety requirements.
  • Prohibits the Director of Education and Workforce from adopting any additional rules for nonchartered nonpublic schools.

Home education and school attendance
  • Excuses a child from attending school if the child is receiving home education in core subject areas supervised and directed by the child’s parent, instead of if the child is receiving education from a “qualified” person.
  • In the event of cessation of proper home instruction, removes the district superintendent’s explicit power to recall previously excused absences and pursue truancy charges.
  • Prohibits the Director of Education and Workforce from adopting any additional rules regarding home education.

​Reactions to 2022's version of this bill

​News Coverage

Education leaders weighed in

"It doesn't address the needs of the students today, but it is in lockstep with not only the state legislature, but the state's attorney general's office.”
​Tom Jackson
“I am deeply concerned about the implications that overhauling the responsibilities of the department of education and state board of education would have, especially without an extensive review process.”
State Senator Hearcel Craig
“The government wants to control the educational agenda because state funding is a big part of a state budget and they don't want to compete with a state board or a superintendent who reports back to that board. They have their own educational agenda.”
​Susan Tave Zelman
“It does seem to be a power grab, you know, and it is disappointing... especially as you have more people elected to the board who have really strong education backgrounds.”
​Scott DiMauro