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OFT Update – the electronic newsletter of the Ohio Federation of Teachers

Volume 5, Number 22

 

 

Index

•         Schools Chartered by Lucas County Agency May Not be Legal

•         OFT Executive Committee Actions

•         OFT Empowers Members to Make Congressional Visits

•         Few Break Party Ranks on State Budget

 

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Schools Chartered by Lucas County Agency May Not be Legal

 

State Auditor Betty Montgomery’s office is reviewing the operations of the state’s largest sponsor of charter schools, as requested last week by State Sen. Teresa Fedor.

 

In a press conference July 5, Fedor announced that the Lucas County Educational Service Center has illegally authorized contracts with charter school operators that were not voted on by the board, as required by Ohio law. She delivered a letter that day to Montgomery seeking a review of the alleged improper contracting for at least 78 charter schools sponsored by the ESC .

 

The issue rose out of discussions with Joan Kuchcinksi, a Lucas County ESC board member, who said board, equivalent to a district board of education, did not vote, on the charter applications or approve contracts with the charter school operators. Instead, in December 2003 the board voted 4-1 to delegate its powers to Superintendent Tom Baker, which Ohio law does not allow. Ohio Revised Code Sections 3313.33 and 121.22 require a board of education to vote at a public meeting on every contract. Otherwise, the contract is invalid.

 

Kuchcinski voted against the resolution delegating contracting authority to Baker. “I don’t think it’s legal, and it’s certainly not responsible,” Kuchcinski said. “The board should examine all applications and then make decisions as to whether these are quality schools that we ought to sponsor. We should be voting on each contract.”

 

The LCESC sponsored 112 schools during the school year just ended, up from nine charter schools two years ago. It has just seven staff dedicated to monitoring and assisting the charter schools it sponsors, 92 percent of which are outside of Lucas County .

 

“It should raise an eyebrow in the Auditor’s office that these contracts have been awarded without full review and a vote by the Lucas County ESC board,” Senator Fedor said.

 

In addition to the alleged improper granting of contracts to charter schools, the LCESC was the beneficiary of an exemption to limitations on charter school sponsors in the state budget bill.

 

The Ohio General Assembly and Gov. Bob Taft approved an exemption which benefits only the LCESC by allowing it to exceed a limit of 50 charter schools that any school district, agency or organization can sponsor. This “grandfather clause” in the state budget bill allows any entity that currently sponsors more than the limit to continue to serve as sponsor for up to 75 charter schools. LCESC is the only entity that currently sponsors more than 50 charter schools.

 

Senator Fedor believes all entities sponsoring charter schools in Ohio should be subject to the same 50 school limit.

 

 

OFT Executive Committee Endorses RON

 

OFT’s Executive Committee June 30 voted to endorse three proposed state constitutional amendments sponsored by Reform Ohio Now (RON). The amendments would level the playing field and clean up corruption in Ohio politics via:

• The creation of an independent Commission to approve state and federal legislative districts,

• The reform of Ohio campaign finance laws to lessen the role of large campaign contributions and provide fuller disclosure about the source of contributions,

• The creation of a bi-partisan State Board of Elections to oversee the conduct and administration of elections.

Signatures are being gathered now to qualify the amendments to the ballot. The deadline for submitting 450,000 signatures is Aug. 1, so help in gathering signatures is crucial. To volunteer, visit and request a petition (see the yellow box on the right side of the page), click “Get Involved” and follow the prompts or email info@ for info.

 

In other action, the Executive Committee:

• Tabled a resolution referred by the OFT convention calling for State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) staff to be placed under STRS for their own pension due to concerns that conflicts of interest could result. They are now in the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS).

• Adopted a resolution urging the STRS board to reconsider its decision to reduce the amount of the employer contribution refunded to rehired retirees when they reach age 65. This resolution is a substitute for one proposed at the OFT convention and referred to the Executive Committee.

• Approved a revised OFT budget for 2005-2006.

• Endorsed Paul Hackett in a special election for U.S. Congress in the second Congressional district (Clermont, Brown, Adams, Scioto and Pike counties, east of Cincinnati along the Ohio River).

 

 

OFT Empowers Members to Make Congressional Visits

 

OFT member-activists recently took their first steps to establish or enhance contact with members of Congress, delivering a unified message on legislative priorities for the union. These initial meetings represent the first wave of the newly launched Activists for Congressional Education (ACE) program, which connects OFT members with their U.S. representatives and senators through personal visits and contacts.

 

The meetings, which began during the Memorial Day recess and were held in home districts, initially targeted members of key committees in the U.S. House and Senate. OFT members met with U.S. Representatives Dennis Kucinich (D- Cleveland), Tim Ryan (D-Niles), Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-Cleveland) and Sherrod Brown (D-Elyria).

 

“ACE team members were asked to focus on three key issues: correcting flaws in the No Child Left Behind law, strengthening Social Security and a federal budget that better funds education,” said Darold Johnson, director of legislation and political action. The NCLB campaign highlights the most pressing problems with the legislation, the failure to adequately fund NCLB’s costly mandates and the law's flawed accountability formula for schools.

 

"The ACE program will help our members develop a relationship with their members of Congress and put a local face on OFT's lobbying efforts," said OFT President Tom Mooney. “It is our goal that OFT locals reach out to every member of the Ohio Congressional delegation.”

 

The ACE program is similar to the LEGs program in that both seek to create a personal link between OFT members and both Democratic and Republican policymakers. To participate in the ACE program, contact Darold Johnson via e-mail at djohnson@oft-.

 

 

Few Break Party Ranks on State Budget

 

Final versions of the House and Senate budget proposals were decided largely along party lines. Dayton’s Dixie Allen was the lone Democrat breaking ranks to join Republicans in approving the House bill. Four House Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill – Keith Faber of Celina, Diana Fessler of New Carlisle, Ron Hood of Ashville and Robert Latta of Bowling Green.

 

Senate Dems unanimously voted against the bill, pulling two Republicans with them, Lynn Wachtmann of Napoleon and Jim Jordan of Urbana .

 

Republicans were much more likely to differ with their party on amendments to the bills in both chambers that sought to remove vouchers, increase charter school accountability and eliminate a mandatory state health care plan for educators. All of those amendments were tabled without consideration.

 

House Amendment to Eliminate Vouchers

An amendment by Rep. Bryan Williams (D-Akron) to remove voucher language from the House budget bill was tabled, largely along party lines. In addition to her support of the final budget bill, Allen broke ranks to support vouchers and voted with Republicans to table the amendment. Republican Scott Oelslager of Canton broke ranks to vote with Democrats to hear the amendment.

 

House Amendment to Remove Mandatory Health Care Plan

An amendment by Williams to eliminate a mandatory insurance plan for educators also was tabled. Six Republicans broke ranks, voting to hear the amendment – Tom Brinkman of Cincinnati, Ron Hood of Ashville, Scott Oelslager of Canton, Tom Patton of Strongsville, Jim Raussen of Cincinnati and Williams. One Democrat, Derrick Seaver of Minster, broke ranks to join Republicans in tabling the issue.

 

Democratic Senate Amendments Tabled

Education amendments offered by Sen. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) to increase charter school accountability and remove vouchers were tabled, with Senators voting along strict party lines.

 

 

   

 

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Contact: lzellner@oft- ( 1251 E. Broad St., Columbus OH 43205 ( 614.257.4195 ( 800.821.1722

 

 

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