Today, the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee voted unanimously to favorably report Senate Bill 168. The bill is expected to be considered by the full House on Wednesday, June 26. The purpose of the legislation was originally to deregulate many aspects of K-12 education, but it picked up a variety of amendments during the legislative process—including a provision that would place a hold on community school sponsor evaluations for the 2024-2025 school year.
“Ten years ago, Ohio’s community school sector was rightly and roundly criticized for a lack of attention to quality,” said Chad L. Aldis, vice president for Ohio policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. “The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee’s addition of an amendment that would put a hold on community school sponsor evaluations would be a step backward for the sector.”
Community school sponsors have a statutory oversight role over community schools and—among a host of responsibilities—are tasked with giving schools permission to open and—when necessary—closing them. The sponsor evaluation system, in place for about a decade, requires each sponsor to undergo a rigorous evaluation on three discrete components: the academic quality of their community school portfolio, their compliance with applicable rules and laws, and their adherence to best sponsorship practices.
“The improved quality of Ohio’s community school sector didn’t happen by accident,” Aldis added. “It was the result of stronger oversight and a coordinated focus on quality. Giving sponsors, many of whom have not gone through the evaluation system in three years, a year’s pass is the wrong approach. We urge the House to remove that provision from SB 168 and avoid weakening community school oversight in the state of Ohio.”
