After their own Spring Break, the Ohio Statehouse is back in session. Here are two major developments in both the House and Senate this week:
HB114: Regards age requirements for kindergarten admission
During the House Education Committee hearing this week, HB114 was officially been amended to reinstate provisions that would allow early entrance to kindergarten. The amendment specifically reinstates public school referral and evaluation processes that would allow a four-year-old who will turn five by January 1st as well as reinstating the law that would allow a school to admit to kindergarten any child who will not be five years old by January 1 of the requested school year to be admitted under a school district’s student acceleration policy. HB114 is slated for a possible vote in the House Education Committee next week.
HB96: Operating Budget
HB 96 is being heard in various senate committees. Most recently, HB96 was opened for public testimony in the evening of May 7th. Invited testimony was provided by OASBO, BASA, OSBA, OEA, and the Alliance for High Quality Education. Each of the invited organizations requested the committee fully implement the Fair School Funding Formula to ensure state and local shares of school funding are enacted. These organizations also testified regarding the 30% cash balance cap provision and urged its removal from HB96. This cash balance cap would require districts to only reserve 30% of their carryover balance or they would be required to reduce property taxes within their districts the following year. These organizations argued that these cash balances are crucial for long-term budgeting of high-cost projects and developments within districts and districts should not be penalized for saving their money.
OAGC testified (testimony found here) and requested that the committee reinstate gifted professional development funds. Ranking Member Ingram asked OAGC what the repercussions would be if these funds were not reinstated. OAGC responded simply that “students would be not be served.” This is a part of an ongoing conversation about student services and the lack of funding to provide those services. Chair Brenner asked if gifted funds are being spent on gifted students. Citing audits and the 135th GA changes to the budget, OAGC thanked the committee for their work in ensuring that loopholes were closed that allowed for gifted funding to be spent outside of gifted services.
The Senate Education Committee will have two more hearings next week to hear public testimony regarding HB96. One will focus specifically on public library funds and the other hearing will focus on broader education funding.