At the August 19, 2024, Ohio Controlling Board hearing, State Representative Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) moved to amend the $1.85 million emergency State Board of Education (SBOE) funding request to provide full funding of $4.66 million in Fiscal Year 2025. The amended motion was approved.

Fully funding the State Board means that the Board can support the Resident Educator program, ensure the safety and well-being of students by conducting comprehensive, necessary background checks in a timely manner, help address educator recruitment and retention, and ensure timely completion of misconduct investigations so educator rights are protected without increasing licensure fees on teachers.

OEA extends its gratitude to the Ohio House leadership, to State Representative Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) and State Representative Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake), and members of the Controlling Board for their continued work to ensure that closing the State Board’s funding gap was not placed on the backs of Ohio’s educators. Finally, OEA also thanks the many members throughout the state who advocated for the funding for the State Board. Without your continued advocacy, which sent 5,400 letters to members of the Ohio General Assembly and Governor DeWine, this outcome would not have been possible.

Click here to read a recent WOSU article about the Controlling Board’s action.