For Immediate Release: June 12, 2012

Contact: Mike Sabo (614) 644-8728

Rep. Thompson Announces Passage of Cleveland Schools Plan from Ohio House
Makes sweeping reforms to improve accountability, reporting, funding
COLUMBUSState Representative Andy Thompson (R-Marietta) has announced that a comprehensive set of reforms to Clevelands education system passed from the Ohio House by a vote of 78-16. With bipartisan sponsorship in both the House and Senate, House Bill 525and the companion Senate Bill 335revises Ohio law regarding levies, teacher evaluations, teacher contracts, and the management of district and community schools in municipal school districts. The legislation was drafted with meticulous collaboration with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, who brought the concepts for the Cleveland plan to the legislature with the hope of improving what has, in recent years, been a system that has failed many families and left students behind. The Cleveland community has come together to change the way their schools operate, said Representative Thompson. Im pleased to help endorse and support their efforts. In addition to other measures, House Bill 525 specifies that the Cleveland Municipal School District must establish performance measures of student achievement, student progress, and college- and career-readiness no later than December 1, 2012. Beginning in 2013, the district must annually report to the governor, General Assembly and state superintendent of public instruction the districts progress on adopted performance measures. The state superintendent will also evaluate the progress of the district and issue a report to the governor and General Assembly. House Bill 525 includes several provisions that will help to improve the quality of education that Clevelands students receive. According to the legislation, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), in conjunction with the Transformation Alliance and the Ohio Association of Charter School Authorizers, must develop criteria based on the National Association of Charter School Authorizers quality principles to be used by community school sponsors to authorize a new community school within the municipal school district, effective with schools opening for the 2013-14 school year. Other criteria must also be developed under this legislation, including criteria related

to the schools mission, model or student population in order to annually assess and report on the efficacy of all district and community schools. Pertaining to local revenues, House Bill 525 specifies that only those community schools that are sponsored by the municipal school district or with whom the municipal district chooses to enter into a partnership agreement would be eligible to receive proceeds from a local property tax levy. Furthermore, House Bill 525 permits proceeds from the sale of district facilities to be deposited into the municipal district general fund and spent to support district operations if certain conditions are met. -30-