Good Evening:
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SINCE MY LAST SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE
Attended the Ohio (ACTE) Association for Career and Technical Education’s Legislative Conference in Columbus on January 25th. As one of the North Royalton City School District’s Representative on the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center Board of Education, I attend the conference along with administrators from the CVCC. The conference was very informative about the issues that face Career and Technical schools like the CVCC. Governor John Kasich addressed the group and talked about his vision for job creation and the future of education in the state. I also had an opportunity to meet with the Aide for State Representative Anielski, Aide for State Representative Dovilla, and personally met with State Senator Patton about issues related to the CVCC. Besides discussing issues related to the CVCC, I shared with our lawmakers the concerns of the North Royalton City School District regarding pending legislation on HB 136, HB 191, and HB 326.
School Board Member Dan Langshaw Testifies on HB 191
While down in Columbus, the evening of January 25th I took advantage of the unique opportunity to testify against HB 191 before the Ohio House of Representatives Education Committee on behalf of the North Royalton City School District. House Bill 191, sponsored by Rep. Bill Hayes (R-Granville) and Rep. Bill Patmon (D-Cleveland), would adjust the minimum school year for school districts from one based on days to one based on hours. The legislation also would prohibit school districts from opening prior to Labor Day or after Memorial Day, except in specified circumstances. A substitute bill was proposed and accepted during the Committee meeting I was at. The substitute version changes the minimum school year for school districts, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) schools and chartered nonpublic schools from 182 days to: 455 hours for half-day kindergarten; 910 hours for full-day kindergarten and grades one through six; and 1,001 hours for grades seven through 12. The substitute bill also would eliminate the prohibition against staying open after Memorial Day, but retains the bill’s prohibition against opening prior to Labor Day, while adding a waiver process by which a school district may open earlier. According to the legislation, school districts can start before Labor Day if the district or school holds a public hearing on opening prior to Labor Day, approves a resolution allowing schools to open prior to Labor Day, files a copy of the resolution with the superintendent of public instruction no later than July 1 and receives a waiver to open prior to Labor Day from the superintendent. It specifies that the superintendent cannot deny a waiver to a school that has complied with the procedure, and must make the verification within 10 business days of receiving the resolution. The effective date of the bill’s provisions was changed from 2012 to July 1, 2013.
Click the link below for a copy of the Substitute HB 191.
http://ealerts.osba-ohio.org/files/file/Sub%20HB%20191%20-%20129%200929-3.pdf
Also below is a copy of my testimony that I gave before the House Education Committee last week.
OPPONENT TESTIMONY ON HB 191 BY
DAN LANGSHAW
NORTH ROYALTON SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
BEFORE THE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 25, 2012
Good Evening, Chairman Stebelton, Vice Chair Newbold, Ranking Member Luckie, and members of the House Education Committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the proposed Substitute HB 191 on the Minimum School Year. My name is Dan Langshaw, and I am member of the North Royalton School Board.
The North Royalton City School District is located in southwest Cuyahoga County and encompasses both the city of North Royalton and parts of the neighboring city of Broadview Heights. Our public school district provides education K-12 to over 4,700 students in our community.
I would like to express concerns with the proposed Substitute HB 191. Specifically, we are opposed to the provision of the bill that requires a thirty-day legal notice and hearing in order to begin classes before Labor Day. Such a mandate would cause an unnecessary burden to local school districts throughout Ohio, including the North Royalton City School District.
Boards of education adopt school calendars in public session. Such public sessions include the opportunity for interested parties to offer public comments prior to any action by the Board of Education. To add the unnecessary burden of a thirty day notice seems to be an unneeded bureaucratic step to a process which has served our school district well in the past.
Please consider removing this provision of the bill and allow for us to retain our local control in deciding what is in the best interest of our community and students when creating our school calendar.
In closing, our community is happy with the current calendar we have and the collaborative process our district uses to create it. We do support the conversion of school days to hours in that this enhances local control and the ability of elected board of education members to respond to the needs of their students, parents, and residents. Please let the people decide what is best and not Columbus. Until this provision is removed, we remain oppose HB 191 in its current form.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you this evening. I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
On January 26th, I held my Monthly Constituent Coffee at the Coffee Club. Thank you to those who stopped by. I hold these monthly coffees in order to stay in touch with fellow residents and listen to their feedback. There is no appointment necessary. Simply stop by and talk to me. I will keep you posted when my next monthly coffee in February will be.
Former Reynoldsburg superintendent named governor’s new education czar
Kasich administration recently announced the replacement for outgoing Governor’s Office of 21st Century Education Director Dr. Robert Sommers. The new director is former Reynoldsburg City Schools Superintendent Dick Ross, who will take over on Feb. 1.
The Presidential Primary Elections will be held on Tuesday, March 6, 2012. Since the Board of Elections no longer automatically mails ballots applications prior to the election, voters must now request their ballot application. Please click on Primary Election for information on how to request a ballot. You can also visit the Board of Elections website for more information as well at www.boe.cuyahogacounty.us
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Special Board Meeting on February 8th at 6pm @ North Royalton Board of Education Office Conference Room, 6579 Royalton Rd., North Royalton, OH 44133.
E-mail Updates
If you have any friends or neighbors who would like to receive my e-mail updates please let me know and I will be sure to add them to my e-mail list. They can also click on this link on my website to sign up at: http://www.danlangshaw.com/contact/e-mail-newsletter-sign-up/
Stay In Touch with me through Social Networking and the Web
If you like to keep in contact with me you can also check out my Website at www.danlangshaw.com or follow me on Facebook or Twitter at Langshaw4board
My Contact Info
If you ever have any questions or concerns please feel free to give me at call at 440-596-0078 or e-mail me at dan.langshaw@northroyaltonsd.org.
Have a great week!
Dan Langshaw
North Royalton School Board Member
440-596-0078
www.danlangshaw.com
“Putting Students First”