Ohio

Great Public Schools Criteria

Great Public Schools Criteria refers to the seven elements needed for closing the achievement gaps and raising achievement for all students. The seven elements are: (1) readiness to learn, (2) high expectations, (3) quality conditions, (4) qualified staff, (5) accountability, (6) parental involvement, and (7) funding.

Read more below about the Great Public Schools Criteria in Ohio.

Readiness to Learn

Full-day Kindergarten:

• State Policy: Districts are not required to offer full-day kindergarten. If districts do offer full-day kindergarten, they must provide a half-day option at parent request (OH ST § 3321.05). Ohio provides the same level of funding for half-day and full-day kindergarten.
• Definition, District Offering and Pupil Attendance: Ohio defines full-day kindergarten as the same number of clock hour per day as grades 1-6.
• Funding: Ohio provides less funding for both half- day and full-day kindergarten than for grades 1-6.
  Source: Education Commission of the States (ECS) Kindergarten Database, 2007

Accountability

Statute:
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3302.01 – § 3302.08, § 3302.041
House Bill 269 (1998 Regular Session)

Ohio does not reward but it sanctions districts on the basis of performance. State sanctions on district involve written warning, offer of more funding, a requirement that the district create and implement a plan for improvement, placement on probation, or state take-over of the school district. In 1995, a U.S. federal court charged the state with running the Cleveland Public Schools through a state-appointed superintendent. In 1997, the state legislature shifted control of the Cleveland Public Schools to the mayor and charged him with appointing the school board and the school district’s chief executive officer.

Ohio does not reward or sanction schools on the basis of performance. 

In pursuance of NCLB AYP requirements, Ohio now requires low-performing schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress for five consecutive school years to have its district submit an improvement plan aimed at improving the schools' academic performance for the succeeding year. The plan must include at least one of the following options:

• Reopen the school as a charter school
  
• Replace personnel
  
• Contract with a nonprofit or for-profit entity to operate the building
  
• Turn operation of the building over to the state department of education
  
• Other significant restructuring of the building’s governance

For any school building that fails to make adequate yearly progress for six consecutive school years, the district shall implement the plan. This policy was enacted because of NCLB and is directly related to NCLB's AYP timeline. [3302.04]

NEA Grant to Close Achievement Gaps

The Ohio Education Association plans to use its NEA Grant to Close Achievement Gaps to  lobby the legislature to pass a bill to establish local school district committees that will develop local strategies for closing achievement gaps. They also plan to engage in an information campaign, host community forums, and conduct a state conference on closing achievement gaps, develop partnerships with the African American faith community to close the gaps, and develop materials with local realtors' associations highlighting public school success. For more information, contact project coordinator Deidra Reese (Reesed@ohea.org).