Greetings,

House Bill 1 is currently in a conference committee made up of six members from the House and Senate (3 Democrats and 3 Republicans).  As you know, the Senate stripped all of the major reform measures, including the new funding model and numerous other professional issues the OEA supports. 

The Senate version of HB 1 includes the following changes:

• Removes language regarding the integration of 21st century learning skills
• Eliminates funding for teacher professional development
• Restores "pass through" funding and weakens accountability measures for charter schools
• Reinstates reductions in force for financial reasons and privatization of transportation language
• Creates a new special education voucher program
• Lengthens the period for tenure eligibility to nine years
• Changes the dismissal standard for teachers to that of non-teaching, non-civil school district employees
• Requires a value-added standard to determine teacher performance based on student success
• Closes public schools that are in academic emergency status for three consecutive years
• Eliminates universal all-day kindergarten

Currently, the conference committee is meeting to resolve over 500 differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.  These deliberations will continue throughout the month of June, and by law the legislature must pass a budget by July 1, 2009.  YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED NOW!  THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OHIO DEPENDS UPON IT!

Subject: Restore Funding & Education Reforms in HB1

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

The Strickland/House Plan for public education, presented a real plan for the role our schools and colleges can play in creating jobs for Ohioans.

Fully implemented, the plan would reduce the reliance on local property taxes as well as cost out and fund the components of a high quality education.

The plan would fund things we know help to improve student performance such as all-day kindergarten, smaller class sizes and professional development for teachers, who are critical to the long-term success of our students.

The Strickland/House Plan will help Ohio students go beyond the basics to learn 21st century skills. The plan also calls for multiple measures for high school graduation, not just passing a high-stakes Ohio Graduation Test.

We have a chance to transform our schools and fix school funding, so let's not waste it. Restore the vision and ideas of the Strickland/House Plan and pass a state budget that makes sense for Ohio's children and the jobs we know they can fill in the future!

Sincerely,

[Your Name]