The latest version of House Bill 33, passed by the Senate but rejected by the House earlier this week, proposed transformational school voucher funding and folded in several pieces of previously introduced bills in order to fast track them. Here are some educational highlights from the 9,000-plus page document.
1. School vouchers
The House and Senate proposed expanding school vouchers to any student in families within 450% of the federal poverty limit. The Senate proposed that students above that limit would still be eligible for portions of the voucher.
Base vouchers are estimated at $6,165 for K-8 students; $8,407 for students grades 9-12.
2. State higher education regulation: Senate Bill 83
The Senate folded in regulations that would prohibit state university workers from going on strike, ban public universities from taking stances on social issues, and prohibit mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training, among other things.
3, Ohio Department of Education overhaul: Senate Bill 1
The Senate also folded in policy that would turn the Ohio Department of Education into the Department of Education and Workforce and transfer to it a swath of power from the Ohio Board of Education.
4. Mandated establishment of specific institutions and ideas at two public universities: Senate Bill 117
Senate leadership also folded in mandates for the University of Toledo and the Ohio State University to create specific institutions focused on predetermined American values.
At OSU, the Senate wants to create the Salmon P. Chase Center, required to conduct teachings around “historical ideas, traditions, and texts that have shaped the American constitutional order and society.”
At UT, the Senate wants to create the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership, required to teach about “American constitutional thought.”
Note: the budget is currently in conference committee, where select members of the two chambers will pick and choose which parts of their proposals to keep, modify, or throw out.
Legislation elsewhere
Other bills that would impact education in the state were proposed in the House. Here’s a list of highlights.
Bills that passed the House:
5. House Bill 8: Establishes the Parent’s Bill of Rights Act which, among other things, requires schools to report changes in students’ mental health, a policy that critics warn acts as a “forced outing” mandate for LGBTQ+ students.
6. House Bill 68: Among other things, the policy bans transgender girls from competing in girls sports in K-12 schools and state universities.
Note: Policy was originally introduced as House Bill 6 before being folded into HB68.
7. House Bill 117: Eliminates the third grade reading guarantee, a longstanding policy that has automatically held back third graders who don’t achieve a required score on a language arts assessment.
Note: The House added this policy to their budget before the Senate rejected it.
Bills still in the House:
8. House Bill 183: A “bathroom bill” that would ban transgender students from using the restrooms that fit their gender identity.
9. House Bill 103: Creates an appointed task force to redevelop the state’s social studies curriculum. The task force would be appointed entirely by the state’s Republican leaders and required to use the controversial “American Birthright” standards as a base.
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