A Republican state senator wants to roll back almost a hundred requirements on school districts. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports they range from mandates on school personnel to directives for students in classrooms.
The Public School Deregulation Act was put together with input from districts in western Ohio. It would give superintendents flexibility on many things, such as evaluating teachers and assigning them to subjects beyond their licenses, on excusing student absences, and on paper and pencil testing – which Gov. John Kasich vetoed in the state budget in July. Sen. Matt Huffman of Lima says it would mean more local control, and he wants to go further.
“Frankly, if we could eliminate all state requirements and have to do what the federal government is making us to, that’s where I would want to go.”
When it comes to high-stakes state standardized tests, Huffman's bill would eliminate just one would get rid of only one, a kindergarten reading exam that’s part of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee that went into effect three years ago.
