Education Department - Catholic Conference of Ohio

In a February 7, 2020 letter to Ohio elected officials, the Catholic Conference of Ohio reiterated its call for immediate legislative action on finalizing the EdChoice Scholarship system for the coming school year.  The letter offered five recommendations:

• Meaningful educational choice for families 
• Academic continuity for students and a way for families to keep their children together 
• Significant Increase in the eligibility threshold for EdChoice Expansion  
• The least disruption to families who are relying on EdChoice for 2020/2021
• Sufficient and stable funding 

The House passed its school voucher plan on February 5, 2020. That plan would convert the EdChoice system to one based only on family income going forward, with some opportunity for current students and siblings to keep receiving traditional EdChoice Scholarships.  

The Senate passed its version on January 28, 2020. The Senate plan reduced the number of school buildings that would be added to the traditional EdChoice eligibility list for the upcoming school year, while increasing the number of families eligible for income-based school vouchers.

The Catholic Conference has called upon elected officials to  resolve differences immediately. Parents need to decide where to enroll their children in school.  Schools need to make decisions about teachers’ contracts and budgets. Every day that goes by makes the situation more difficult for everyone.

House Plan
Senate Plan

House Floor Debate February 5, 2020

In their February 3, 2020 response to delays in the EdChoice Scholarship Program the Catholic Conference wrote:

"Legislative delays in finalizing the EdChoice Scholarship Program for the coming school year cause us grave concern. The Catholic Conference of Ohio urges Ohio legislators to go back to the table NOW to finalize the EdChoice Program for the 2020/2021 school year.

Parents need to decide where to enroll their children in school.  Schools need to make decisions about teachers’ contracts and budgets. Every day that goes by makes the situation more difficult for everyone..." 

For complete statement CLICK HERE
 

The Ohio School Safety Center will assist local schools and law enforcement in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm, through a holistic, solutions-based approach to improving school safety.

Governor DeWine stated: “Given that schools are often targets of violence, school safety proposals are a prominent part of STRONG Ohio, my 17-point plan to reduce violence with dangerous weapons and increase mental health treatment.”  “Having one office where the staff solely focuses on keeping our students safe and our schools secure, will allow analysts to nimbly assess threats, proactively address potential issues, and expertly train and support school faculty in a more streamlined manner.”

 Click here for Resources on School Safety